Aerosol delivery device providing fragrance control

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol delivery device having the same. The cartridge includes a first reservoir configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition and an atomizer having a liquid delivery element in fluid communication with the first reservoir, and a heating element configured to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition delivered by the liquid delivery element. The cartridge also includes a second reservoir comprising two or more separate chambers, where at least one chamber contains a perfume. The airflow is configured to pass proximate the atomizer to entrain particles of the aerosol precursor composition vaporized by the heating element. The airflow is also configured to pass through at least one chamber of the second reservoir to entrain the perfume of the respective chamber.

Description

[0001] This invention patent application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with international application number PCT / IB2019 / 052279, international application date March 20, 2019, application number 201980035683.5 entering the Chinese national phase, and name “Aerosol delivery device providing fragrance control”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, and more particularly to an aerosol delivery device comprising a reservoir and a vaporization assembly, which can utilize electricity to heat an aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol. The aerosol precursor composition can include materials and / or ingredients that can be made from, derived from, or otherwise combined with tobacco, and can be heated by the vaporization assembly to generate an inhalable substance for human consumption. Background Art

[0003] 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 article described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] The purpose of the improvement or alternative of smoking article is usually to provide the sensation 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 sensation of smoking cigarette, cigar or pipe without burning tobacco to a significant degree many cigarette products, flavor generators and medicated inhalers. For example, referring to the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat 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, also referring to the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and electric heat sources with reference to trademark names and commercial sources in the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 of Bless et al., 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. Patent 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.; and 5,249,587 to Counts et al. No. 5,388,594 to Higgins et al.; No. 5,666,977 to Adams et al.; No. 6,053,176 to White; No. 6,164,287 to Voges; No. 6,196,218 to Fleter et al.; No. 6,810,883 to Nichols; No. 6,854,461 to Hon. No. 7,832,410; U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi; U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 to Hamano; U.S. Patent 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 WO 2010 / 091593 to Hon, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0005] Representative products that have many attributes similar to traditional 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 Lorillard Technologies, Inc. TM ;Depend on International Co., Ltd. COHITA sold by International Inc. TM 、COLIBRI TM , ELITE CLASSIC 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; 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 TMand 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 ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE 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. Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked Smoked SMOKING sold by Smoking Everywhere, Inc. V2CIGS sold by VMR Products LLC TM ; VAPOR NINE sold by VaporNine LLC TM ; sold by Vapor 4Life, Inc. VEPPO sold by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC TMProvided by RJReynolds Vapor Mistic Menthol, sold by Mistic Ecigs; and Vype, sold by CN Creative Ltd. Other powered aerosol delivery devices, particularly those that have become known as so-called electronic cigarettes, have been sold 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 ; SOUTH BEACH SMOKE TM .

[0006] Certain existing embodiments of aerosol delivery devices include a control body (i.e., a power source assembly) and a cartridge (i.e., a reservoir housing). The power source (e.g., a battery) can be located in the control body, and the aerosol precursor composition can be held and / or stored within the cartridge. It would be desirable to provide a cartridge that can add one or more flavors to the aerosol precursor composition, depending on the user's desires. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In one embodiment, the cartridge includes a first storage portion configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition and an atomizer including a liquid delivery element in fluid communication with the first storage portion, and a heating element configured to evaporate the aerosol precursor composition delivered by the liquid delivery element. In an exemplary embodiment, the cartridge may further include a second storage portion comprising two or more separate chambers, wherein at least one of the chambers contains a fragrance. The cartridge is configured to direct an air flow to pass near the atomizer to entrain particles of the aerosol precursor composition evaporated by the heating element. The cartridge is configured to direct an air flow through at least one of the chambers of the second storage portion to entrain the fragrance of the corresponding chamber.

[0008] In some embodiments, the cartridge may further include at least one shroud on one side of the second reservoir configured to allow air flow therethrough, wherein the shroud and the second reservoir are configured to be movable relative to each other such that the shroud selectively and alternatively directs air flow through a selected one or more chambers of the second reservoir.

[0009] In some embodiments, the chamber of the second reservoir comprises an outer shell defining an inner surface surrounding an inner passage formed by the porous tube, wherein the outer shell contains fragrance, and wherein the inner passage is configured to allow air to flow through the chamber and entrain the fragrance from the inner surface.

[0010] In some embodiments, visual markings are provided on the cartridge to identify the chambers of the second reservoir.

[0011] In some embodiments, the chamber includes a hopper for staging the fragrance. In one example, the chamber further includes an actuator for selectively releasing the fragrance from the hopper. In one embodiment, the fragrance is encapsulated in a plurality of capsules. In one embodiment, the actuator is configured to rupture at least one capsule to release the fragrance. In one embodiment, the actuator includes a pair of gears. The teeth of the gears can cooperate such that rotation of the gears is configured to release at least one capsule from the hopper and release the fragrance from the capsule, wherein the fragrance is subsequently entrained by the airflow. In one example, the actuator is triggered by a mechanical button.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cartridge further includes a window into the hopper so that the amount of flavor remaining in the hopper can be determined.

[0013] In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device. In one embodiment, the aerosol delivery device includes a control body and a cartridge. In various embodiments, the cartridge includes a first storage portion configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition and an atomizer including a liquid delivery element in fluid communication with the first storage portion, and a heating element configured to evaporate the aerosol precursor composition delivered by the liquid delivery element. The cartridge of an exemplary embodiment may also include a second storage portion, which includes two or more separate chambers, wherein at least one of these chambers contains fragrance. The cartridge is configured to direct an air flow to pass near the atomizer to entrain particles of the aerosol precursor composition evaporated by the heating element. The cartridge is configured to direct an air flow to pass through at least one of the chambers of the second storage portion to entrain the fragrance of the corresponding chamber.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises at least one shroud on one side of the second reservoir configured to permit air flow therethrough, wherein the shroud and the second reservoir are configured to be movable relative to each other such that the shroud selectively and alternatively directs air flow through a selected one or more chambers of the second reservoir.

[0015] In some embodiments of the aerosol delivery device, the chamber of the second storage portion of the cartridge comprises a housing defining an inner surface surrounding an inner passage formed by the porous tube, wherein the housing contains a fragrance, and wherein the inner passage is configured to allow air to flow through the chamber and entrain the fragrance from the inner surface.

[0016] In some embodiments of the aerosol delivery device, visual indicia is provided on at least one of the cartridge and the control body to identify the chamber of the second reservoir.

[0017] In some embodiments of the aerosol delivery device, the chamber of the cartridge includes a hopper for staging the fragrance. In some embodiments, the chamber further includes an actuator for selectively releasing the fragrance from the hopper. In some embodiments, the fragrance is encapsulated in a plurality of capsules. In some embodiments, the actuator is configured to disrupt at least one capsule to release the fragrance. In one embodiment, the actuator includes a pair of gears, wherein the teeth of the gears cooperate such that rotation of the gears is configured to release at least one capsule from the hopper and release the fragrance from the capsule, wherein the fragrance is subsequently entrained by the airflow. In one example, the actuator is triggered by a mechanical button.

[0018] In some embodiments of the aerosol delivery device, the cartridge has a window into the hopper so that the amount of flavorant remaining in the chamber can be determined.

[0019] It should be understood that the above-mentioned summary of the invention is provided only to summarize some example aspects to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that the above-mentioned example aspects are merely examples of some aspects and should not be interpreted as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. It should be understood that in addition to those aspects summarized here, the scope of the present disclosure includes many potential aspects, some of which will be further described below. Further, by reading the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate the principles of the present invention by way of example, other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become clear.

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

[0021] Example 1: A cartridge for use in an aerosol delivery device, comprising: a first reservoir configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition; an atomizer comprising: a liquid delivery element in fluid communication with the first reservoir; and a heating element configured to evaporate the aerosol precursor composition delivered by the liquid delivery element; and a second reservoir comprising two or more separate chambers, wherein at least one of the chambers contains a flavorant, wherein the cartridge is configured to direct an air flow to pass near the atomizer to entrain particles of the aerosol precursor composition evaporated by the heating element, and wherein the cartridge is configured to direct an air flow through at least one of the chambers of the second reservoir to entrain the flavorant of the corresponding chamber.

[0022] Embodiment 2: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment further comprises: at least one shroud on one side of the second storage portion, the shroud being configured to allow air flow therethrough, wherein the shroud and the second storage portion are configured to be movable relative to each other such that the shroud selectively and alternatively directs air flow through one or more chambers of the second storage portion.

[0023] Embodiment 3: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, wherein the chamber of the second reservoir comprises an outer shell defining an inner surface surrounding an inner passage, wherein the outer shell contains the fragrance, and wherein the inner passage comprises a porous tube configured to allow air to flow through the chamber and entrain the fragrance from the inner surface.

[0024] Embodiment 4: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, wherein visual markings are provided on the cartridge to identify the chamber of the second reservoir.

[0025] Embodiment 5: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, further comprising a hopper for grading the flavor.

[0026] Embodiment 6: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, further comprising an actuator for selectively releasing the flavorant from the hopper.

[0027] Embodiment 7: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, wherein the fragrance is encapsulated in a plurality of capsules.

[0028] Embodiment 8: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, wherein the actuator is configured to rupture at least one capsule to release the flavorant.

[0029] Embodiment 9: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, wherein the actuator comprises a pair of gears, wherein the teeth of the gears cooperate such that rotation of the gears is configured to release at least one capsule from the hopper and release the fragrance from the capsule, wherein the fragrance is subsequently entrained by the air flow.

[0030] Embodiment 10 The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, wherein the actuator is triggered by a mechanical button.

[0031] Embodiment 11: The cartridge of any preceding embodiment, comprising a window into the hopper to enable determination of the amount of flavor remaining in the hopper.

[0032] Example 12: An aerosol delivery device comprising: a control body; and a cartridge comprising: a first storage portion configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition; a nebulizer comprising: a liquid delivery element in fluid communication with the first storage portion; and a heating element configured to evaporate the aerosol precursor composition delivered by the liquid delivery element; and a second storage portion comprising two or more separate chambers, wherein at least one of the chambers contains a flavorant, wherein the cartridge is configured to direct an air flow to pass near the nebulizer to entrain particles of the aerosol precursor composition evaporated by the heating element, and wherein the cartridge is configured to direct an air flow through at least one of the chambers of the second storage portion to entrain the flavorant of the corresponding chamber.

[0033] Example 13: An aerosol delivery device as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the cartridge further comprises: at least one shield on one side of the second storage portion, the shield being configured to allow air flow therethrough, wherein the shield and the second storage portion are configured to be movable relative to each other so that the shield selectively and alternatively directs air flow through one or more chambers of the second storage portion.

[0034] Embodiment 14: An aerosol delivery device as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the chamber of the second storage portion of the cartridge comprises a shell defining an inner surface surrounding an internal passage, wherein the shell contains a fragrance, and wherein the internal passage comprises a porous tube configured to allow air to flow through the chamber and entrain the fragrance from the inner surface.

[0035] Embodiment 15: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein visual indicia is provided on at least one of the cartridge and the control body to identify the chamber of the second reservoir.

[0036] Embodiment 16: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, further comprising a hopper for fractionating the flavor.

[0037] Embodiment 17: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, further comprising an actuator for selectively releasing the flavorant from the hopper.

[0038] Embodiment 18: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the flavorant is encapsulated in a plurality of capsules.

[0039] Embodiment 19: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the actuator is configured to rupture at least one capsule to release the flavorant.

[0040] Embodiment 20: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the actuator comprises a pair of gears,

[0041] wherein the teeth of the gear cooperate so that rotation of the gear is configured to release at least one capsule from the hopper and release the fragrance from the capsule,

[0042] Therein, the fragrance is subsequently entrained by the air flow.

[0043] Embodiment 21 The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the actuator is triggered by a mechanical button.

[0044] Embodiment 22: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the cartridge has a window into the hopper to enable determination of the amount of flavorant remaining in the chamber.

[0045] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the above-described embodiments set forth in this disclosure, as well as any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements, regardless of whether these features or elements are explicitly combined in the specific embodiment descriptions herein. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, this disclosure is intended to be read as a whole, such that any separable feature or element of the disclosed invention should be considered combinable in any of its various aspects and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] To assist in understanding the various aspects of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale and in which like reference numerals refer to like components. The accompanying drawings are for illustration purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 1 is a side view showing an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol delivery device including a cartridge and a control body in an assembled configuration;

[0048] Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the control body;

[0049] Figure 3 An exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the barrel;

[0050] Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] Figure 5 Shown according to Figure 4 an exploded view of a flavor adding assembly of an exemplary embodiment of a cartridge;

[0052] Figure 6 Shown according to Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a fragrance storage portion of an exemplary embodiment of a fragrance adding assembly;

[0053] Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] Figure 8 Shown according to Figure 7 a schematic exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a flavor addition module of a cartridge;

[0055] Figure 9A and 9B Shown for actuation Figure 8 An exemplary embodiment of a fragrance adding module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The present disclosure will now be more fully described hereinafter with reference to exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are described 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 may be embodied in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these aspects are presented so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural variations unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0057] The present disclosure provides a description of an aerosol delivery device. An aerosol delivery device can utilize electrical energy to heat a material to form an inhalable substance; such an article can be compact enough to be considered a "handheld" device. An aerosol delivery device can provide some or all 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 a visible aerosol, etc.) without burning any component of the above-mentioned article or device to a significant extent. The above-mentioned aerosol delivery device may not produce smoke in the sense of an aerosol produced by a byproduct of the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco. Instead, the above-mentioned article or device may generate vapors produced by the volatilization or gasification of specific components of the article or device (including vapors in an aerosol that can be considered as a visible aerosol, which can be considered as smoke-like), although in other embodiments, such an aerosol may be invisible. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may contain tobacco and / or components derived from tobacco. Thus, the aerosol delivery device may be characterized as an electronic smoking article such as an electronic cigarette or "e-cigarette."

[0058] While the system is generally described herein in terms of embodiments associated with an aerosol delivery device, such as a so-called "electronic cigarette," it will be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be implemented in many different forms and associated with a variety of articles. For example, the description provided herein may 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 of the products disclosed herein. Accordingly, it will be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are discussed merely by way of example in terms of embodiments associated with an aerosol delivery device and may be implemented and used in a variety of other products and methods.

[0059] Aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can also be characterized as steam generation goods or medicament delivery goods.Therefore, this goods or device can be modified, thereby one or more substances (for example, fragrance and / or pharmaceutical active ingredient) are provided in a form or state that can be inhaled.For example, inhalable substance can be in the form of steam (that is, the material in gas phase at a temperature lower than critical point).Alternatively, inhalable substance can be in the form of aerosol (that is, in gas, there is a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets).For the purpose of simplification, term " aerosol " used herein is intended to include steam, gas or aerosol of a form or type that is suitable for human body inhalation, no matter whether it is visible, no matter whether it can be considered as a smoke-like form.

[0060] In use, the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can be subjected to many of the physical actions that an individual employs when using a traditional type of smoking article (e.g., a cigarette, cigar, or pipe for lighting and inhaling tobacco). For example, a user of the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can hold the article as they would hold a traditional type of smoking article, inhale on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, and inhale at selected time intervals, etc.

[0061] The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include a plurality of components disposed within a housing or body. The overall design of the housing or outer body may vary, and the form or configuration of the outer body, which may define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device, may vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar may be formed from a single shell; or the elongated body may be formed from two or more separable pieces. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include an elongated housing or body which may be generally tubular in shape and thereby resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. However, various other shapes and configurations (e.g., rectangular or keychain-shaped) may also be employed in other embodiments.

[0062] In one embodiment, all components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within an outer body or shell. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may include two or more shells that are connected and separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end, the control body including a shell that houses one or more reusable parts (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronic components for controlling the operation of the article), and the aerosol delivery device is removably attached to a shell that houses a disposable part (e.g., a disposable fragrance cartridge) at the other end. More specific forms, constructions, and arrangements of components within a single shell type unit or a multi-piece detachable shell type unit will be apparent from the further disclosure provided herein. In addition, the design and component arrangements of various aerosol delivery devices can be understood in view of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices.

[0063] The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may include some combination of the following: a power source (i.e., an electrical source); at least one controller (e.g., a device for activating, controlling, regulating, and / or stopping the power used to generate heat, such as by controlling the flow of electrical current from the power source (power source) to other components of the aerosol delivery device); a heater or heating component (e.g., a resistive heating element or component that is typically part of a "atomizer"); an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid that is typically capable of generating an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied, such as ingredients that are typically referred to as "smoke juice," "e-liquid," and "e-juice"); and a mouth end region or tip that allows inhalation on the aerosol delivery device to inhale the aerosol (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article so that the generated aerosol can be drawn out of the airflow path during inhalation).

[0064] The alignment of the parts in the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can vary. In a specific embodiment, the aerosol precursor composition can be located near the end of the aerosol delivery device, and the end can be configured to be positioned near the mouth of the user, so that the aerosol delivered to the user is maximized. However, other structures are not excluded. Usually, the heating element can be positioned close enough to the aerosol precursor composition so that the heat from the heating element can volatilize the aerosol precursor (itself can include one or more spices, medicine or other additives) and form an aerosol for delivering to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, 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 forming or generating, will form or will generate, will form or will generate and after forming or generating. Specifically, inhalable substance is released in the form of a mixture of steam or aerosol or steam and aerosol, wherein, unless otherwise noted, these terms also can be used interchangeably in this article.

[0065] As described above, the aerosol delivery device may include a battery and / or other power source (e.g., a capacitor) to provide sufficient current to provide various functions to the aerosol delivery device, such as powering the heater, powering the control system, and powering the indicator. The power source can take various embodiments. In one example, the power source is capable of delivering sufficient power to quickly heat the heating element, thereby providing aerosol formation and powering the aerosol delivery device within the desired duration. The size of the power source can be designed to be conveniently assembled within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easy to handle. In addition, in one embodiment, the preferred power source is light enough so as not to detract from the desired smoking experience.

[0066] More specific forms, constructions, and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure will be apparent from the further disclosure provided below. In addition, the selection of various aerosol delivery device components can be understood in light of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Further, the arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device can also be understood in light of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Examples of commercially available products that may be included in the devices of the present disclosure, their components, their methods of operation, the materials included therein, and / or their other properties, as well as manufacturers, designers, and / or assignees of components and related technologies that may be employed in the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 222,615, filed by Watson et al. on July 28, 2016, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 is shown in FIG. Figure 1 An aerosol delivery device 100 is shown that includes a control body 200 and a cartridge 300. The control body 200 and the cartridge 300 can be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship. Various mechanisms can connect the cartridge 300 to the control body 200 to produce a threaded fit, a press fit, an interference fit, a magnetic fit, etc. In some embodiments, when the cartridge 300 and the control body 220 are in an assembled configuration, the aerosol delivery device 100 can be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. However, various other configurations such as a rectangular or keychain shape can also be adopted in other embodiments. Further, although the aerosol delivery device is generally described herein as being similar in size and shape to a conventional smoking article, in other embodiments, a storage portion that can be referred to as a "tank" of different configuration and larger capacity can be adopted.

[0068] In particular embodiments, one or both of the cartridge 300 and the control body 200 can be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body 200 can have a replaceable or rechargeable battery and / or capacitor and thus be integrated with any type of charging technology, including: connection to a wall charger, connection to a car charger (e.g., a cigarette lighter socket), and connection to a computer such as via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C), connection to a solar panel of photovoltaic cells (sometimes referred to as solar cells) or solar cells, or wireless chargers such as chargers using inductive wireless charging (e.g., including wireless charging according to the Qi wireless charging standard of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)), or wireless radio frequency (RF)-based chargers. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further, in some embodiments, the cartridge 300 may comprise a disposable cartridge, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, the cartridge 300 may include a limited amount of an aerosol precursor composition therein to provide many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation habits, types of tastes or aromas, sensory effects, etc.) of smoking a particular amount of a conventional type of smoking article (e.g., a cigarette, a cigar, a pipe, etc.). In some aspects, the cartridge 300 may include a particular amount of aerosol precursor composition, the amount of aerosol precursor composition being equal to the amount of a conventional type of smoking article that a person would consume to obtain the sensation of smoking a typical amount of a conventional type of smoking article (e.g., a typical pack of cigarettes, i.e., twenty (20) cigarettes).

[0069] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an aerosol delivery device 100 (see FIG. 1 ) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 ) is an exploded view of the control body 200. As shown in the figure, the control body 200 may include a coupling 202; an outer body 204; a sealing member 206; an adhesive member 208 (e.g., 10 (e.g., a suction sensor or pressure switch); a control component 212; a spacer 214; a power source 216 (e.g., a rechargeable capacitor and / or battery); a circuit board having at least one indicator 218, such as a light emitting diode (LED), which can communicate to a consumer about the status of the battery, fragrance, liquid, and / or a combination thereof using different types of sensors (pressure, resistance, humidity, etc.); a connector circuit 220; and an end cap 222. An example of a power source is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0070] With respect to the flow sensor 210, representative current regulating components and other current control components for aerosol delivery devices, including various microcontrollers, sensors, and switches, are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 to Brooks et al., 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., and 8,205,622 to Pan, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Reference may also be made to the control scheme described in U.S. Patent No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0071] In one embodiment, the indicator 218 may include one or more light emitting diodes. The indicator 218 may be in communication with the control component 212 via the connector circuit 220 and, for example, be illuminated during a period when a user inhales on a cartridge coupled to the coupling 202, as detected by the flow sensor 210. The end cap 222 may be adapted to make visible the illumination provided beneath the end cap 222 by the indicator 218. Thus, the indicator 218 may be illuminated during use of the aerosol delivery device 100 to simulate the illuminated end of a smoking article. However, in other embodiments, the indicator 218 may be provided in various quantities and in various shapes, and may even be an opening in the outer body (such as for emitting a sound when such an indicator is present).

[0072] Further other components may be employed in the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al. discloses an indicator for a smoking article; U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of the device to detect user lip movement associated with inhalation and subsequent triggering of heating by a heating device; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling the flow of energy into a heating load array in response to a pressure drop across the mouthpiece; U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses a receptacle in a smoking device, the receptacle including an identification member that detects non-uniformity in infrared transmittance of an inserted component and a controller that executes a detection routine when the component is inserted into the receptacle; U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. describes a defined executable having multiple differential phases. power cycle; U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al. discloses photonic-optoelectronic components; U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means for varying inhalation resistance through a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses specific battery constructions for use in smoking devices; U.S. Patent No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with smoking devices; U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. discloses computer interaction means for smoking devices to facilitate charging and allow computer control of the devices; U.S. Patent No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for smoking devices; and WO2010 / 003480 to Flick discloses a fluid flow sensing system for indicating puffing in an aerosol generating system; all of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.Further examples of components related to electronic aerosol delivery articles and materials or components that can be used in the articles of the present disclosure are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; 6,164,287 to White; 6,196,218 to Voges; 6,810,883 to Fleter et al.; 6,854,461 to Nichols; 7,832,410 to Hon; 7,513,253 to Kobayashi; 7,896,006 to Hamano; and 7,896,006 to Shay. No. 6,772,756 to an; No. 8,156,944 and No. 8,375,957 to Hon; No. 8,794,231 to Thorens et al.; No. 8,851,083 to Oglesby et al.; No. 8,915,254 and No. 8,925,555 to Monsees et al.; and No. 9,

[0015] The present invention relates to a device comprising a plurality of apparatuses and methods of manufacturing a device comprising a plurality of apparatuses and methods of manufacturing a device, wherein the plurality of apparatuses and methods of manufacturing the device are combined with the apparatus and methods of manufacturing the device.

[0015] The present invention relates to ...

[0073] Figure 3 The aerosol delivery device 100 is shown in an exploded configuration (see Figure 1 ) cartridge 300. As shown, the cartridge 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a base 302, a control component terminal 304, an electronic component 306, a flow deflector 308, an atomizer 310, a reservoir 312 (e.g., a liquid tank or storage substrate), an outer body 314, a mouthpiece 316, a label portion 318, and a first heating terminal 320 and a second heating terminal 321. Indicia 330 may be applied to the label 318 or the outer body 314 to provide an indicator to the user of internal components or functions, such as a fragrance reservoir as described below.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first heating terminal 320 and the second heating terminal 321 can be embedded in or otherwise coupled to the flow deflector 308. For example, the first heating terminal 320 and the second heating terminal 321 can be insert-molded into the flow deflector 308. Therefore, the flow deflector 308 and the first and second heating terminals are collectively referred to herein as a flow deflector assembly 322. Additional description of the first heating terminal 320, the second heating terminal 321, and the flow deflector 308 is provided in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0335071 to Brinkley et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0075] The atomizer 310 of the depicted embodiment may include a liquid delivery element 324 and a heating element 326. For example, the cartridge may additionally include a base shipping plug that cooperates with the base and / or a mouthpiece shipping plug that cooperates with the mouthpiece to protect the base and mouthpiece and prevent contaminants from entering prior to use, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 to Depiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0076] The base 302 can be coupled to a first end of the outer body 314 and the mouthpiece 316 can be coupled to an opposite second end of the outer body to substantially or completely enclose the other components of the cartridge 300 therein. For example, the control component terminals 304, the electronic components 306, the deflector 308, the atomizer 310, and the reservoir 312 can be substantially or completely retained within the outer body 314. A label portion 318 can at least partially surround the outer body 314 and optionally surround the base 302 and include information such as product identification on the label portion 318. The base 302 can be configured to mate with the coupling 202 of the control body 200 (see, e.g., FIG. Figure 2 In some embodiments, the cartridge 302 can include an anti-rotation feature that substantially prevents relative rotation between the cartridge and the control body, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0077] The storage portion 312 can be configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition. The components and compositions of some representative types of aerosol precursors are also described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al.; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al.; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0030823 to Lipowicz et al.; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, and WO 2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include those included in the following products: RJ Reynolds Vapor Company's BLU from Lorillard Technologies; MISTIC MENTHOL from Mistic Ecigs; and VYPE from CN Creative Ltd. Also contemplated are so-called "smoke juices" for electronic cigarettes, which are already available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC. Embodiments of effervescent materials can be used with aerosol precursors and are described, by way of example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0055494 to Hunt et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, the use of effervescent materials is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,878 to Wehling et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,590 to Pather et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,667 to Bergquist et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,541 to Crawford et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,307,787 to Sun et al., as well as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010 / 0018539 to Brinkley et al.; and PCT WO 97 / 06786 to Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional descriptions of embodiments of aerosol precursor compositions, including descriptions of tobacco or tobacco-derived components thereof, are provided in U.S. patent application serial numbers 15 / 216,582 and 15 / 216,590, both filed by Davis et al. on July 21, 2016, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0078] The reservoir 312 can include multiple layers of nonwoven fabric formed into a tubular shape surrounding the interior of the outer body 314 of the cartridge 300. Thus, a liquid component can be adsorbed, for example, by the reservoir 312. The reservoir 312 is in fluid communication with the liquid transport element 324. Thus, the liquid transport element 324 can be configured to transport the liquid from the reservoir 312 to the heating element 326 via capillary action or other liquid transport mechanisms. The reservoir 312 is not limited to the type of absorbent reservoir substrate. The reservoir 312 can include a housing or tank that holds the aerosol precursor in free-flowing liquid form. The reservoir 312 may or may not be refillable.

[0079] As shown, the liquid delivery element 324 can be in direct contact with the heating element 326. Figure 3As further shown, the heating element 326 can include an electrical wire that defines a plurality of coils wound around the liquid delivery element 324. In some embodiments, the heating element 326 can be formed by winding the electrical wire around the liquid delivery element 324, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,210,738 to Ward et al. Further, in some embodiments, the electrical wire can be defined with variable coil spacing, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,277,770 to DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Various embodiments of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied therethrough can be used to form the heating element 326. Exemplary materials from which the electrical wire coils can be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nickel-chromium alloys, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite and graphite-based materials; and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics).

[0080] However, various other embodiments of the method may be used to form the heating element 326, and various other embodiments of the heating element may be used in the atomizer 310. For example, a stamped heating element may be used in the atomizer as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270729 to DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition to the above, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; 5,093,894 to Deevi et al.; 5,224,498 to Deevi et al.; and 5,060,671 to Sprinkel et al. Additional representative heating elements and materials used herein are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,228,460 to Jr. et al.; 5,322,075 to Deevi et al.; 5,353,813 to Deevi et al.; 5,468,936 to Deevi et al.; 5,498,850 to Das; 5,659,656 to Das; 5,498,855 to Deevi et al.; 5,530,225 to Hajaligol; 5,665,262 to Hajaligol; 5,573,692 to Das et al.; and 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Further, chemical heating may also be employed in other embodiments. Various additional examples of heaters and materials for forming heaters are described in US Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., which is incorporated herein by reference as described above.

[0081] Various heater components can be employed in the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, one or more microheaters or similar solid-state heaters can be used. Microheaters and atomizers containing microheaters used in the presently disclosed devices are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0082] The first heating terminal 320 and the second heating terminal 321 (e.g., the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal) are configured to mate with opposite ends of the heating element 326 and form a connection between the cartridge 300 and the control body 200 when the cartridge 300 is connected to the control body 200 (see, e.g., FIG. Figure 2) electrical connection. Further, when the control body 200 is connected to the barrel 300, the electronic component 306 can form an electrical connection with the control body through the control component terminal 304. The control body 200 can therefore adopt the electronic control component 212 (see Figure 2 ) to determine whether the cartridge 300 is genuine and / or to perform other functions. Further, various examples of electronic control components and the functions implemented thereby are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0083] During use, the user may Figure 1 ) is drawn into the mouthpiece 316 of the cartridge 300. This draws air through the control body 200 (see e.g. Figure 2 ) or an opening in the cartridge 300. For example, in one embodiment, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., an opening may be defined in the control body 200 (see, e.g., Figure 2 ) between the coupling 202 and the outer body 204, the aforementioned reference being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, in other embodiments, the air flow may be received through other portions of the aerosol delivery device 100. As described above, in some embodiments, the cartridge 300 may include a flow deflector 308. The flow deflector 308 may be configured to direct the received air flow from the control body 200 to the heating element 326 of the atomizer 310.

[0084] Sensors in the aerosol delivery device 100 (e.g., flow sensor 210 in the control body 200; see Figure 2 ) can sense a puff. When a puff is sensed, control body 200 can direct current to heating element 326 via a circuit including first heating terminal 320 and second heating terminal 321. Thus, heating element 326 can vaporize the aerosol precursor composition directed from reservoir 312 to the aerosolization region by liquid delivery element 324. Thus, mouthpiece 326 can allow air and entrained vapor (i.e., components of the aerosol precursor composition in an inhalable form) to flow from cartridge 300 to a consumer inhaling on cartridge 300.

[0085] Various other details regarding components that may be included within the cartridge 300 are provided, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additional components that may be included within the cartridge 300 and details related thereto are provided, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0335071 to Brinkley et al., filed May 23, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0086] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be selected from components described in the prior art and commercially available components. For example, reference is made to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., which discloses a reservoir and heater for controlled delivery of multiple aerosolizable materials in an electronic smoking article, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0087] In another embodiment, substantially the entire cartridge can be formed from one or more carbon materials, which can provide advantages in terms of biodegradability and the absence of wires. In this regard, the heating element can include carbon foam, the reservoir can include carbonized fabric, and graphite can be used to form electrical connections to the power supply and control components. Exemplary embodiments of carbon-based cartridges are provided in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0088] However, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device, and in particular a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device, having an alternative configuration. In this regard, Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a cartridge 500 for an aerosol delivery device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Unless otherwise described and / or shown, components of the aerosol delivery device according to this embodiment, particularly a control body for use with the illustrated cartridge, may be substantially similar or identical to corresponding components described above.

[0089] like Figure 4-6 As shown, and as will be discussed in greater detail below, the cartridge 500 of the depicted embodiment includes the following components: a mouthpiece 504, a main reservoir 508, an atomizer 510 (which includes a liquid delivery element 512 and a heating element 514), a flavor addition assembly 520 including a flavor reservoir 522 and a flavor selection member in the form of a mask 524 that provides an air flow path controller, and a cartridge base 530 that is configured to provide mechanical and electrical connections between the cartridge and the control body. As can be understood from the above discussion, Figure 4-6The cartridge 500 can be configured to releasably engage the control body with the cartridge base 530 to create an aerosol delivery device. In various embodiments, the control body can be coupled to the control body 200 described above (see Figure 2 ), and thus, their description will not be repeated. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the control body may differ from the control body described above. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the control body of the aerosol delivery device may have a shape different from that described above, such as, for example, a handheld keychain-shaped control body.

[0090] In various embodiments, the main reservoir 508 may be a canister-type reservoir made of one or more of a variety of materials, including, for example, metal materials, glass materials, ceramic materials, and / or plastic materials, such as, for example, acrylic materials (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene, polyester, etc.). In some embodiments, the main reservoir 508 may include a translucent or transparent material so that a user can view the amount of aerosol precursor composition remaining therein. In one embodiment, the main reservoir 508 is made of polycarbonate, polypropylene, or Tritan. TM In some embodiments, the main reservoir 508 is in the form of a canister for containing the liquid aerosol precursor composition in a free-flowing manner. In alternative embodiments, the main reservoir 508 may comprise a porous material to retain the above-described aerosol precursor composition as described above with respect to the reservoir 312 ( Figure 3 )The aerosol precursor composition discussed.

[0091] The cartridge base 530 of the cartridge 500 and the control body 200 ( Figure 2 ) are configured so that when the cartridge base and the control body are mounted together, they are not susceptible to movement relative to each other. It should be noted that any suitable connection means as described above can be used to create this relationship. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge base and the control body can be connected using a threaded connection, a magnetic connection, a snap connection, and / or a bayonet connection, wherein the cartridge base (or the control body) can include one or more pins and the control body (or the cartridge base) can include one or more corresponding L-shaped slots.

[0092] As mentioned above, one aspect of the cartridge base 530 may be to provide a connection to the control body 200 ( Figure 2 ) is electrically connected to the power source 216 so that current can be selectively supplied to the atomizer 510, and more specifically to the heating element 514.

[0093] In various embodiments, the liquid transport element 512 may include a porous monomer. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the liquid transport element 512 may include a ceramic material so that the aerosol precursor composition delivered to the liquid transport element 512 can be absorbed therein to be aerosolized. In another example, the transport element 512 may be formed by silica fiber, cotton, mesh, other porous metals or other cellulose-based materials. In one embodiment, additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology can be used to manufacture a ceramic liquid transport element with a precise shape. The liquid transport element 512 can be directly fixed to the hole formed on the main storage portion 508. Alternatively, an additional sponge-like disc such as a porous pad made of a superabsorbent polymer, ceramics, etc. can be interfaced between the liquid transport element 512 and the main storage portion 508. In various embodiments, the heating element 514 can be wrapped around or coiled around the liquid transport element 512, as shown. In some embodiments, the wire material of the heating element 514 may include titanium, Kanthal (FeCrAl), nickel-chromium alloy, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite and graphite-based materials; ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics), tungsten and tungsten-based alloys, or any other suitable material, such as those mentioned elsewhere herein. Tungsten and tungsten-based alloys may be useful because these materials may define expansion coefficients suitable for use with many ceramics, which may be used in the liquid delivery element 512.

[0094] As noted, according to some embodiments, the atomizer 510 can be formed by winding a wire around a liquid delivery element, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,210,738 to Ward et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, various other methods can be used to form the atomizer 510, and various other embodiments of the heating element can be used in the atomizer. For example, a metal mesh can be positioned around a cylindrical wicking portion, or a strip of metal mesh can be positioned on a strip or sheet of wicking portion. For example, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0020193 filed on December 3, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, the heating element can be configured to heat an aerosol precursor composition disposed within the liquid delivery element via radiant heating. In another embodiment, the heating element can be configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition disposed within the liquid delivery element via induction heating, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0127722, filed on November 6, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Various heater components can be employed in the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, one or more microheaters or similar solid-state heaters can be used. Microheaters and atomizers comprising microheaters used in the presently disclosed devices are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0095] Although not depicted in this manner, in some embodiments, the wire of the heating element 514 may be at least partially embedded in the liquid delivery element 512. In this regard, in the case of a ceramic liquid delivery element 512, the wire of the heating element 514 may be embedded in the liquid delivery element 512 before the liquid delivery element is fired in a high-temperature furnace called a kiln. For example, before firing the material, the wire may be wrapped around a long length of base material that forms the ceramic. Examples of such base materials used to form the ceramic in the liquid delivery element 512 include clays, oxides, non-oxides, and composites. Thus, the wire may be at least partially embedded in the base material while being wrapped around it. The base material and wire may then be fired in the kiln. Afterwards, a saw or other cutting device may separate the product into individual atomizers of the desired length. In another embodiment, the heating element may be at least partially placed in the wicking portion after the ceramic is fired, where the heating element is placed in a channel of the ceramic formed using additive manufacturing or 3D printing techniques.

[0096] In the depicted embodiment, the atomizer chamber 540 is formed about the atomizer 510. The atomizer chamber 540 is in fluid communication with an aerosol passage 546 that passes through the main reservoir 508 and terminates at an opening 548 through the mouthpiece 504 of the cartridge 500.

[0097] Figure 5 The aroma addition assembly 520 is shown in further detail in an exploded perspective view. In the illustrated embodiment, the aroma addition assembly 520 is positioned upstream of the atomizer chamber 540. In other embodiments, the aroma addition assembly 520 may be positioned downstream of the atomizer chamber 540. The aroma addition assembly 520 includes a aroma reservoir 522 and a mask 524. The aroma reservoir 522 may include a housing 556 and a lid 558. The housing 556 and the lid 558 may be composed of a polymer (acetate, PE, PP, silicone, polyester, polyurethane, etc.), a ceramic (e.g., alumina), or a metal (e.g., aluminum). The housing 556 may be provided in the form of a tray that is configured to be removable from the cartridge 500. The aroma reservoir 522 and the mask 524 may be formed as a module that can be easily assembled as part of the cartridge 500, or alternatively, may be provided as an interchangeable part of the cartridge.

[0098] In the illustrated embodiment, the flavor reservoir 522 is divided into four separate chambers or flavor segments 560. The present disclosure is not limited to four flavor segments 560, but may have fewer or greater numbers of flavor segments. Each flavor segment 560 is configured to stage a fragrance that can be selectively added to the aerosol exiting the opening 548 in the mouthpiece 504. Each flavor segment 560 may contain a fragrance, but one of the flavor segments 560 of the flavor reservoir 522 may be intentionally left empty to allow a user to receive an aerosol containing only an aerosol precursor composition in the main reservoir 508. The empty flavor segment 560 may be referred to as a bypass segment of the flavor reservoir 522.

[0099] Each scent segment 560 can constitute its own reservoir.In one example, users will be able to construct their own unique combination of scent segments 560, including the possibility of selecting each scent segment to contain the same fragrance.

[0100] In some embodiments, the scent portion 560 may include a section of the scent reservoir 522 that includes the fragrance. The fragrance may be provided in the form of a liquid, solid, or gel, which may be in the form of separate beads or particles. In other embodiments, the scent segment 560 may include a substrate or other material into which the fragrance is absorbed or otherwise contained. For example, in some embodiments, the scent segment 560 may include carbon materials, ceramics, polymers, composite materials, metals, cellulose, etc.

[0101] like Figure 6As shown, the fragrance segment 560 may include an outer shell 562, which is formed by the shell 556 and defines an inner surface surrounding the internal channel 566. The outer shell 562 is configured to contain fragrance. The internal channel 566 is configured to allow the inhaled air to pass through the fragrance segment 560 and entrain the fragrance from the inner surface. The inner surface can be defined by a wicking portion 570, specifically a tubular wicking portion, which provides a boundary between the internal channel 566 and the contents of the outer shell 562. The wicking portion 570 can be a nanoporous, microporous and / or macroporous tube made of a polymer (such as polyethylene or polyester fiber, etc.) or a ceramic (such as alumina, silica, zirconia, etc.), which absorbs fragrances such as liquid fragrances from the inside of the outer shell 562 and transports the liquid fragrances into fluid contact with the internal channel 566 by capillary action, wherein the air inhaled through the internal channel may entrain fragrance particles. The material of the wicking portion 570 is not specifically limited and may include a fluid transfer element 324 ( Figure 3 )

[0102] In various embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition held within the primary reservoir 508 may comprise an unscented aerosol precursor composition, although scented aerosol precursor compositions (i.e., aerosol precursor compositions comprising one or more fragrances) are also contemplated. The fragrance segment 560 then comprises one or more fragrances, which themselves may be provided in the form of a composition having an aerosol precursor component. As used herein, reference to a "flavorant" refers to a compound or component that can be aerosolized and delivered to a user and imparts a sensory experience in terms of taste and / or aroma. Exemplary flavors include, but are not limited to, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cheese, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and citrus flavors, including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, cloves, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, fennel, sage, rosemary, hibiscus, rose hips, mate, wintergreen tea, honeybush tea, rooibos tea, yerba mate, bacopa, ginkgo biloba, withania somnifera, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, acerola, cocoa beans, licorice, and flavorings and flavoring packets of the type and character traditionally used as flavorings for cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco. Syrups such as high fructose corn syrup may also be used. Suitable exemplary plant-derived compositions are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0152265 of Dube et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Based on factors such as the organoleptic properties required for smoking articles, the selection of these other components is variable, and the disclosure is intended to encompass any such other components that are apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See, for example, " Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods (tobacco flavoring substances and methods) " (1972) by Gutcho of Noyes Data Corp. and " Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (tobacco flavoring for smoking products) " (1972) by Leffingwell et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It should be noted that reference to spices should not be limited to any single spice as described above, and in fact can represent a combination of one or more spices.

[0103] return Figure 5 The mask 524 can be formed of polymer, ceramic or metal. The mask 524 is used as an air flow controller to guide the air flow selectively through the internal passage 566 of one or more flavor sections 560 so that the fragrance reaches the atomizer chamber 540 ( Figure 4 ) is entrained by the air flow before the user in the mouthpiece 504 ( Figure 4) is associated with the suction on the barrel. In one embodiment, the air flow starts at the opening between the base 530 and the shroud 524 in the barrel 300 to reach the inlet 574 of the shroud. In another embodiment, the path of the air flow can be controlled by the body 200 ( Figure 2 ) begins at the opening in the coupling 202. The air flow can then be passed through the outlet 578 ( Figure 4 ) exit the mask 524. In the example shown, the inlet 574 and the outlet are directly opposite each other on opposite sides of the disc-shaped mask 524. In another embodiment not shown, the inlet may be centrally located within a first side of the disc-shaped mask. The outlet may be located on an opposite second side of the mask at a position off-center. Those skilled in the art will understand that the mask 524 may be formed to be substantially hollow, or to provide a passage from the inlet 574 to the outlet in other ways. The arrangement of the inlet 574 and outlet of the mask 524 is not particularly limited, as long as at least one inlet 574 is capable of receiving air flow, regardless of the position of the mask 524 relative to the fluid storage portion 522. Further, the arrangement of the outlet is configured to selectively guide the air flow through or past the desired one or more fragrance segments 560.

[0104] In another embodiment, the mask 524 may be located downstream of the fragrance reservoir 522. In this embodiment, the mask may function to only allow air flow away from the desired fragrance zone 560, instead of flowing directly into the desired fragrance zone.

[0105] In another embodiment not shown, a second mask can be installed between the flavor reservoir 522 and the atomizer chamber 540. The second mask can rotate with the mask 525 to help prevent flavor particles from being accidentally released from the flavor segment 560 into the atomizer chamber 540.

[0106] In another example, not shown, the shroud 524 can be annular in shape surrounding the cartridge 500. Air flow can begin at an inlet 574 of the shroud 524, and an outlet 578 of the shroud 524 can be selectively arranged relative to a plurality of openings into the cartridge body, wherein each opening facilitates air flow to and through the interior passageway 566 of a selected one of the flavor segments 560.

[0107] In various embodiments, the mask 524 can be configured to be rotatably attached relative to the fragrance reservoir 522. Figure 4), the cartridge 500 is removably attached to the control body 200 via the cartridge base 530. The mask 524 is assembled with the cartridge 500 so as to be adjustable, for example, rotatable, relative to the fragrance reservoir 522 to selectively direct the air flow F through the desired fragrance segment 560 or bypass segment of the fragrance reservoir. Therefore, the consumer can selectively align the outlet 578 of the mask 524 with the selected fragrance segment 560 by adjusting the mask to an appropriate position relative to the fragrance reservoir 522. In one example, the fragrance reservoir 522 is fixed in the cartridge 500. The mask 524 can then be fixed relative to the control body 200 or can be rotatable relative to the control body 200. Therefore, the mask 524 can be rotated independently, or the fragrance segment 560 can be selected by rotating the control body 200 relative to the cartridge 500.

[0108] In various embodiments, the cartridge 500 and / or the control body may include one or more indicators to help the consumer determine the rotational position. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge 500 and / or the control body may include a visual indicator thereon, such as a plurality of markings 330 ( Figure 3 ) to indicate the position of the various scent segments of the scent storage portion 522. Alternatively or additionally, the cartridge 500 and / or the control body may include one or more audible or tangible indicators, such as, for example, a series of detents (which may also include sounds in certain embodiments), which indicate the position of the various scent segments. For example, detents may be provided to ensure proper alignment between the outlet 578 of the mask 524 and the scent segments 560. In the case where there are four scent segments 560, the markings 330 and detents may be equally spaced 90 degrees around the circumference of the cartridge 300 to provide a predetermined degree of rotation for each scent segment. It should be noted that in some embodiments, one or more of any of the above-mentioned components may be able to move relative to the other components without affecting the operation of the device.

[0109] Controlling body 200( Figure 1 ) and atomizer 510( Figure 5 ) between the ends of the heating element 514, for example, an electrical connection comprising an electrical connector disposed through the shield 524, allows the control body 200 to direct current to the atomizer 510, for example, upon user actuation (e.g., via a button) and / or when a puff on the aerosol delivery device is detected. A puff can be detected by a change in the electrical resistance of the material that can be folded or bent by the air flow F generated by the consumer's inhalation. When the user inhales on the mouthpiece 504 of the cartridge 500, the air flow F (see Figure 4) can be directed from the environment through one or more air inlets in the cartridge base 530. The air flow F drawn in through the air inlet(s) can then be drawn through the one or more internal passages 566 of the one or more aroma segments 560 of the aroma reservoir 522, as facilitated by the mask 524.

[0110] At the same time, the flow sensor (see, for example, Figure 2 ) can detect inhalation. Accordingly, the control body 200 can direct current through the heating element 514 to heat the atomizer 510. When the atomizer 510 is heated, the aerosol precursor composition from the main reservoir 508 can be evaporated directly at the atomizer 510 or via the heating of the liquid delivery element 512. The resulting vapor or aerosol A can thus be generated within the atomizer chamber 540 and mixed with entrained fragrance. This entrained fragrance is picked up by the air flow F through the internal passage 566 of the selected fragrance segment 560, then passes through the aerosol passage 546 and is passed to the user through the opening 548 of the mouthpiece 504.

[0111] The barrel 500 and the control body 200 ( Figure 2 ) can be characterized by a method for forming an aerosol for consumption by a user according to one or more of the following steps. A cartridge is provided, comprising a main reservoir 508 containing an aerosol precursor composition, a mask 524, and a flavor reservoir 522 comprising a plurality of flavor segments 560. The method may further include adjusting the mask 524 relative to the flavor reservoir 522 to select one or more flavor segments 560. In some embodiments, adjusting the mask may include aligning an outlet 578 in the mask 524 with an internal passage 566 of a selected flavor segment 560 of the flavor reservoir 522. The method may further include directing an air flow F through the selected flavor segment 560 and reaching the atomizer chamber 540. When inhaled air passes through the internal passage 566, the flavor is entrained into the air flow F. The method also includes adding particles of the aerosol precursor composition from the main reservoir 508 that have been evaporated by the atomizer 510 to the air flow F. Vaporizing the aerosol precursor composition may include directing an electric current from the control body 200 to the atomizer 510 to aerosolize the aerosol precursor composition. In various embodiments, aerosolizing the aerosol precursor composition may include heating a heater coil 514 that heats a liquid delivery element 512 containing the aerosol precursor composition to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition.

[0112] Now turning to another embodiment of the cartridge, Figure 7 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a cartridge 700 for an aerosol delivery device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7As shown in FIG-9, and as will be discussed in more detail below, the cartridge 700 of the depicted embodiment includes the following components: a mouthpiece 704, a main reservoir 708, an atomizer 710 (which includes a liquid delivery element 712 and a heating element 714), a cartridge base 718, and one or more flavor addition modules 720. The flavor addition module 720 can be considered to provide a flavor addition module that is compatible with the cartridge 500 ( Figure 4 ) has a similar function to the flavor section 560 of the mouthpiece 704, wherein multiple flavor addition modules 720 can be combined to form a flavor storage portion that selectively incorporates flavors into the aerosol drawn from the mouthpiece 704. Figure 7 The illustrated embodiment shows two flavor addition modules 720, but it should be understood that additional modules are possible.

[0113] As can be understood from the above discussion, Figure 7 -9 cartridge 700 can be configured to control the main body 200 ( Figure 2 ) can be releasably engaged with the cartridge base 718 to produce an aerosol delivery device. In various embodiments, the control body can be combined with the control body 200 described above (see Figure 2 ), and thus, their description will not be repeated. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the control body may differ from the control body described above. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the control body of the aerosol delivery device may have a shape different from that described above, such as, for example, a handheld keychain-shaped control body.

[0114] In principle, cartridge 700 follows the same principles as cartridge 500 ( Figure 4 ) same operating basis. In particular, the aerosol precursor composition staged in the main reservoir 708 is wicked by the liquid delivery element 712 to the vicinity of the heating element 714. Upon activation of the heating element, particles of the aerosol precursor are vaporized into the atomizer chamber 724, where they mix with the air drawn into the cartridge 700 and the atomizer chamber 724. Further, like the cartridge 500, the air D drawn through the cartridge 700 is also intended to selectively entrain fragrance T from the fragrance reservoir or fragrance addition module 720, particularly in the event that the particles of the fragrance have not yet been subjected to thermal evaporation from the atomizer 710. As Figure 7 As shown, the flavor addition module 720 can be positioned upstream of the atomizer chamber 724 to receive the air flow before entraining the aerosol precursor. Alternatively, the flavor addition module 720 can be located downstream of the atomizer chamber to collide with the air flow already including the aerosol precursor particles. Figure 8Shown is a detailed schematic diagram of a fragrance adding module 720 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fragrance adding module 720 may include a housing 730 having an air inlet 732 and an air outlet 734, thereby providing a chamber through which air flow can pass. In other embodiments, the air flow may pass through adjacent to the selected fragrance adding module 720, rather than through the selected fragrance adding module 720, wherein the fragrance released from the fragrance adding module is released therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the air outlet 734 may lead to the atomizer chamber 724. In another embodiment not shown, the air inlet 732 may be configured to communicate with an aerosol passage 738 passing from the atomizer chamber 724 and through the main storage portion 708, to terminate at the air inlet 732. The air outlet 734 may then communicate with an opening 740 in the mouthpiece 704, through which the consumer receives an aerosol comprising air D, particles of an aerosol precursor composition, and optionally particles of fragrance T.

[0115] The fragrance addition module 720 provides the function of a fragrance reservoir by staging fragrance that can be selectively added to the air stream D passing through the cartridge 700. The illustrated embodiment of the fragrance addition module 720 is well suited for use with fragrance provided in an encapsulated form, such as fragrance microencapsulated within a rupturable shell.

[0116] Representative microcapsule embodiments have an outer covering, shell, or coating surrounding a liquid or solid core region, and in certain embodiments, the microcapsule may have a generally spherical shape. The core region or "payload" such as a fragrance is typically released when the outer shell undergoes some type of physical destruction, breakage, or other loss of physical integrity (e.g., by disintegration, softening, crushing, application of pressure, etc.).

[0117] Exemplary means and methods of providing encapsulated materials such as microencapsulated flavors are described in Gutcho's "Microcapsules and Microencapsulation Techniques" (1976) and Gutcho's "Microcapsules and Other Capsules Advances Since 1975" (1979). Exemplary types of microcapsules may have a diameter of less than 100 microns and may typically have a shell that is gelatin-based, cyclodextrin-based, or the like. Microcapsules are commercially available, and exemplary types of microcapsule technology are those set forth in "Kondo, Microcapsule Processing and Technology" by Iwamoto et al., AAPS Pharm SCI, March 2002 (3), No. 25 (1979); and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,598 to McGlumphy and U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,455 to Takada et al.

[0118] Suitable larger capsules are commercially available from Mane Aromatic Flavours of Nice, France as gelatin-encapsulated mixtures of medium chain triglycerides and flavoring.

[0119] The shell of the capsule can be made of a polymer or food-grade gelatin derived from cattle, fish or pig raw materials. A variety of gelatins can be used, and the selection of gelatin for the outer surface of the capsule is considered to be a problem of design selection for those of ordinary skill in the art. See, Kirk-Othmer's " Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology " (Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology), (4th Edition) 12, 406-416 pages (1994), which is incorporated herein by reference. The type of gelatin used to construct the capsule shell enables the capsule to be exposed to triacetin (a plasticizer commonly used in the manufacture of cigarette filters) or 1,2-propylene glycol (a common tobacco coating component) for a relatively long time without the ability of adverse interactions (for example, gelatin dissolving therein). Because the gelatin used in some embodiments dissolves in water over a long period of time, it is desirable to use a practically anhydrous payload (or a payload with very little water) for the capsule with a gelatin outer coating.

[0120] In one embodiment, the payload is a mixture of a flavoring and a diluent. The diluent can be a triglyceride, such as a medium-chain triglyceride, more specifically a food-grade medium-chain triglyceride mixture. See, for example, Radzuan et al., Porim Bulletin (Malaysian Palm Oil Research Institute Bulletin), 39, 33-38 (1999). Exemplary flavorings for the payload have been discussed above.

[0121] The amount of fragrance and diluent in the capsule can vary. In some cases, the diluent can be completely eliminated, and the entire payload can be composed of fragrance. Alternatively, the payload can be composed almost entirely of diluent and only contain a very small amount of relatively effective fragrance. In an embodiment using a capsule having a diameter of, for example, 3.5 mm, the weight of the liquid payload (e.g., fragrance and diluent) can be in the range of about 15 mg to about 25 mg, and can be in the range of about 20 mg to about 22 mg. An exemplary composition of a mixture of fragrance and diluent is in the range of about 5% to about 25% fragrance by weight based on the gross weight of the payload, and may be in the range of about 10% to about 15% by weight, with the remainder being diluent.

[0122] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the capsules 746 of fragrance can be staged in a portion of the fragrance addition module 720, which can be referred to as a hopper 750. The hopper 750 can be defined by a baffle 754 that is angled to direct the movement of the capsules 746 toward one or more outlets 756. The baffle 754 can be formed from a porous material, such as porous polyethylene, polyester, or porous ceramic, having pores small enough to accommodate the capsules 746. The pores in the baffle 754 can also minimize the restriction of air flow from the inlet 732 to the outlet 734.

[0123] Each fragrance addition module 720 may include an actuator 760. Alternatively, a single actuator 760 may be in operative communication with more than one fragrance addition module 720. The actuator 760 may be provided to selectively release fragrance from the hopper 750. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator 760 releases the capsule 746 from the hopper 750. The actuator 760 then releases the fragrance by applying pressure to rupture the coating of the capsule 746. In one embodiment, the actuator 760 includes one or more pairs of gears 766. When the pairs of gears 766 are moved along the axis of the actuator 760, the actuator 760 releases the fragrance. Figure 8 When rotating in the opposite direction as shown by the arrows in FIG, one or more capsules 746 can be pulled into or dropped into the area between the gears. The teeth 770 of the gears 766 can then work together to apply a crushing force to the capsules 746, thereby releasing their payload to be absorbed by the porous baffle 754.

[0124] Capsule 746 and its payload can be designed to adapt to the expected intensity of fragrance and the duration of fragrance incorporated into the air stream. For example, the fragrance adding module can be configured so that the payload of one capsule released by a single use actuator 760 provides enough fragrance to enhance multiple inhalations on the aerosol delivery device, such as the number of inhalations associated with conventional cigarettes. In other embodiments, capsule 746 can be configured to have the intention that the user will operate actuator 760 to release a small amount of fragrance before or during inhalation on the device. Those skilled in the art will understand that the user can increase the intensity of the fragrance incorporated into the aerosol by repeatedly triggering actuator 760 to release the payload of multiple capsules 746. Similarly, the design of actuator 760 and capsule 746 can be configured so that each operation of the actuator releases payload from a desired number of capsules.

[0125] The fragrance addition module 720 can also be designed with one or more reservoirs 776 configured to receive and retain the outer covering material of the capsule 746 after the fragrance is released. The boundaries of the reservoir 776 can be at least partially defined by a porous wall 780. Like the baffle 754, the wall 780 can be designed to have a pore size that is too small to allow the passage of the capsule covering material. However, the pore size of the wall 780 should be large enough to allow the passage of air flow and the passage of fragrance particles intended to be entrained in the air flow D passing through the fragrance addition module 720. The porous wall 780 can also serve as a secondary structure for absorbing fragrance released by the capsule 746, which would otherwise bypass the baffle 754.

[0126] Go to Figure 9A and 9B , shows an exemplary embodiment for rotating the gear 766. The mechanical button 782 can be from the fragrance adding module 720 ( Figure 8 ) extends to a position that is accessible to the user. Button 782 can be mechanically linked to at least one of the gears 766 so that pressing the button causes the gear to rotate. Figure 9A shows the initial position of the system, and Figure 9B The system is shown in a depressed position. Driving one gear 766 of a pair of gears can cause the other gear in the pair to rotate in the opposite direction due to the engagement between their respective teeth 770. Where more than one pair of gears 766 is provided as part of the actuator 760, these gear pairs can be operably linked by additional gears, a drive belt, or another known motion-transmitting element or elements.

[0127] The button 782 can be mechanically linked to the at least one gear 766 via a drive rod 784 configured to convert linear motion of the button 782 into rotational motion of the gear 766. The drive rod 784 can terminate in a plunger 786. A spring 788 can be provided to act on the plunger 786 and help return the button 782 to its initial position.

[0128] return Figure 7 In one embodiment, the air D may be configured to pass through each fragrance addition module 720 simultaneously, wherein the fragrance entrained by the air D primarily comprises the fragrance most recently released by the actuator 760. However, this approach may result in unwanted residual fragrance when the user switches between modules. In another embodiment, an airflow controller 789 may be used to direct the airflow through or only through the desired fragrance addition module 720. The airflow controller 789 may be provided in the form of a cover or door, which may be controlled by various actuation devices such as a mechanical button. In other embodiments, the airflow controller 789 may take the form of a mask, such as described above with reference to FIG. Figure 4-6 The rotatable mask in question.

[0129] like Figure 7 As shown, the body of the flavor addition module 720 and the cartridge 700 may be formed, for example, at least in part, of a transparent or translucent material, at least in the area corresponding to the hopper 750, to provide a window 790 into the hopper so that the amount of capsule 746 remaining in the hopper can be determined.

[0130] Based on the further disclosure provided herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above device use description can be applied to the various embodiments described with slight modifications. However, the above use description is not intended to limit the use of the article, but rather to provide all necessary requirements consistent with the disclosure of this disclosure.

[0131] Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. It should be understood, therefore, that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that various modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope 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. A cartridge for use in an aerosol delivery device, comprising: a cartridge housing including a mouth end; a storage portion, the storage portion being used to store an aerosol precursor composition; an atomizer for vaporizing the aerosol precursor composition to form a vapor; a first chamber at least partially surrounding the atomizer; as well as A fragrance, wherein the fragrance is stored in a second chamber, the second chamber is separate from the first chamber, can be combined with the housing, and can be removed from the housing.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The first chamber is in fluid communication with an aerosol channel.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: The aerosol passage passes through the reservoir.

4. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: The second chamber is positioned upstream of the first chamber relative to the aerosol passage.

5. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: The second chamber is positioned downstream of the first chamber relative to the aerosol passage.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The fragrance includes one or more fragrances stored in a plurality of chambers, the plurality of chambers including the second chamber and at least one additional chamber.

7. The cartridge according to claim 6, wherein: The plurality of chambers are selectively positionable relative to the cartridge housing such that the one or more flavorants can be passed through the mouth end flavorant container from only one of the plurality of chambers at a time.

8. The cartridge according to claim 6, wherein The plurality of chambers are positionable relative to the cartridge housing such that the one or more flavorants are not receivable through the mouth end.

9. The cartridge according to claim 8, wherein The cartridge is configured such that vapor formed by the atomizer can be received through the mouth end, while the one or more flavorants cannot be received through the mouth end.

10. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The second chamber is configured to receive a flow of air.

11. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein Also included is an air flow controller configured to control the flow of air through the second chamber.

12. The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein The air flow controller is selectively positionable to allow the air flow through the second chamber.

13. The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein The air flow controller is configured as a cover plate or a door.

14. The cartridge according to claim 13, wherein The cover or door is controlled by an actuating device.

15. The cartridge according to claim 14, wherein The actuating device is a mechanical button.

16. The cartridge according to claim 14, wherein The driving device is a movable shield.

17. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein The fragrance is entrained by the air flow received by and passing through the second chamber.

18. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein The fragrance is entrained by the air flow without being evaporated by heat.

19. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein The second chamber includes an air inlet and an air outlet.

20. The cartridge according to claim 19, wherein The air outlet is in communication with an opening at the mouth end of the barrel.

21. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The second chamber is defined by a housing separate from the cartridge housing.

22. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The fragrance is in solid form.

23. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The fragrance is in the form of a gel.

24. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The fragrance is in the form of beads or granules.

25. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein: The fragrance is absorbed or otherwise contained within a substrate or other material.

26. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The nebulizer comprises a liquid delivery element arranged to deliver the liquid aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir.

27. The cartridge according to claim 26, wherein The atomizer further comprises a heating element arranged to receive the liquid aerosol precursor composition from the liquid delivery element, the heating element being configured to evaporate the aerosol precursor composition to form the vapor.

28. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein: The aerosol precursor composition does not include any flavoring material.

29. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein Also included is a base configured to releasably engage the control body of the aerosol delivery device.

30. A cartridge for an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising: a storage portion for holding an aerosol precursor composition; an atomizer arranged to vaporize at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to form a vapor that is entrained in air to form an aerosol; as well as One or more aroma addition modules for maintaining fragrance selectively entrained in air drawn through or adjacent the one or more aroma addition modules.

31. The cartridge according to claim 30, wherein The aerosol precursor composition is a liquid.

32. The cartridge according to claim 31, wherein The nebulizer comprises a liquid delivery element arranged to deliver the liquid aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir.

33. The cartridge according to claim 32, wherein The atomizer further comprises a heating element arranged to receive and evaporate the liquid aerosol precursor composition to form a vapor.

34. The cartridge of claim 31, wherein: The liquid aerosol precursor composition does not include any flavoring material.

35. The cartridge of claim 30, wherein: Also included is a nebulizer chamber into which the liquid aerosol precursor composition is vaporized.

36. The cartridge according to claim 35, wherein The cartridge is arranged such that the vapor formed is entrained in the air within the atomizer chamber.

37. The cartridge of claim 30, wherein: Also included is an aerosol passageway passing through the reservoir.

38. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The flavor addition module includes one or more porous walls.

39. The cartridge according to claim 38, wherein The porous walls are configured to absorb the fragrance.

40. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The fragrance is constructed as one or more capsules.

41. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The fragrance is entrained in the air and is not evaporated by heat.

42. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The one or more fragrance adding modules each independently include a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet.

43. The cartridge according to claim 42, wherein The air outlet communicates with an opening in the mouth end of the barrel.

44. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The one or more fragrance adding modules each independently define a chamber through which air can pass.

45. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The fragrance is mixed with a diluent.

46. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that The one or more fragrance addition modules each independently include an air flow controller.

47. The cartridge according to claim 46, wherein The air flow controller is configured to selectively direct air flow through the one or more fragrance addition modules.

48. The cartridge of claim 46, wherein: The air flow controller is configured as a cover plate or a door.

49. The cartridge according to claim 48, wherein The one or more fragrance adding modules further include an actuation device for controlling the cover or door to selectively direct air flow therethrough.

50. The cartridge of claim 49, wherein The actuating device is a mechanical button.

51. The cartridge according to any one of claims 30 to 37, characterized in that Also included is a base configured to releasably engage the control body of the aerosol delivery device.

52. A method of providing a scented aerosol, the method comprising: activating a nebulizer of the aerosol delivery device such that the liquid aerosol precursor composition passed from the liquid aerosol precursor composition reservoir through the liquid transport element is vaporized by the heating element to form a vapor; inhaling on the aerosol delivery device such that the formed vapor becomes entrained in air passing through the aerosol delivery device; selectively actuating an airflow controller of a flavor addition module separate from the liquid aerosol precursor composition such that a portion of the fragrance in the flavor addition module is entrained in air passing through the flavor addition module; and A mixture of air, entrained vapor, and entrained flavorant is drawn from the mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery device.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein: The actuation of the actuating device is an action performed separately from the activation of the atomizer.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein: Activating the nebulizer occurs in response to inhalation on the aerosol delivery device.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein A flow sensor or pressure sensor in the aerosol delivery device detects inhalation on the aerosol delivery device and directs current through an electrical circuit including the heating element.

56. The method of claim 52, wherein: Selectively actuating the air flow controller is performed by manually actuating a cover or door, which opens the cover or door to allow air to flow into the fragrance addition module.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein: Selectively actuating the air flow control includes actuating a mechanical button.

58. The method of claim 52, wherein: Entraining a portion of the fragrance in the air passing through the fragrance adding module is achieved without subjecting the fragrance to heat and evaporation.

59. The method of claim 52, wherein In the absence of any vapor formed from the liquid aerosol precursor composition, a portion of the fragrance in the fragrance addition module is entrained in the air.

60. The method of claim 52, wherein: The vapor formed is odorless.

61. The method of claim 52, wherein: The fragrance adding module includes a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet.

62. The method of claim 52, wherein: The aroma adding module defines a chamber through which air can pass.

63. The method of claim 52, wherein: The fragrance is mixed with a diluent.

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