Real-time temperature control for aerosol delivery devices

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol delivery device (100) comprising a housing equipped with a heating element (318), a resistive temperature detector (RTD) (604) and a control component (206). The housing may contain an aerosol precursor composition, and the heating element may be controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The RTD may have a variable resistance that is proportional to the temperature of the heating element, and may also have a suitably sufficiently large temperature coefficient of resistance that is constant relative to the temperature of the heating element. The control component may be configured to measure a resistance of the RTD and determine a temperature of the heating element from the resistance, and control the at least one functional element in real time based on the temperature so determined, the control of the at least one functional element including outputting the temperature for presentation through the display, or adjusting a power of the heating element.

Description

[0001] This invention patent application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with international application number PCT / IB2017 / 057059, international application date November 10, 2017, application number 201780070046.2 that entered the Chinese national phase, and titled "Real-time temperature control for an aerosol delivery device". Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more specifically to aerosol delivery devices that can utilize electrically generated heat to generate aerosols (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). Smoking articles can be configured to heat an aerosol precursor that may contain materials made from or derived from tobacco, or otherwise contain tobacco, the precursor capable of forming an inhalable substance for human ingestion. Background Technology

[0003] In recent years, numerous smoking devices have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require the combustion of tobacco. Many of these devices are reportedly designed to provide the sensation associated with smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe without delivering the large amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products produced by the combustion of tobacco. To this end, numerous cigarette products, flavor generators, and drug inhalers have been proposed that employ electrical energy to evaporate or heat volatile materials or attempt to provide the sensation of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe without significantly burning the tobacco. For example, see the various alternative smoking products, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art of U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al. and U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, various types of smoking products, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat sources with reference to trademarks and commercial sources in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In addition, various types of electro-aerosol and vapor delivery devices are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 by Sears et al.; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0283859 by Minskoff et al.; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 282,768 filed by Sears et al. on May 20, 2014; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 0335071 filed by Brinkley et al. on May 23, 2014; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 327,776 filed by Ampolini et al. on July 10, 2014; and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 465,167 filed by Worm et al. on August 21, 2014; all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0004] It is desirable to provide a device for real-time temperature control of an aerosol delivery device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure relates to aerosol delivery apparatus, methods of forming such an apparatus, and elements of such an apparatus. This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary embodiments.

[0006] Exemplary Embodiment 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising: at least one housing equipped with a heating element and containing an aerosol precursor composition, the heating element being controllable to activate and evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition; a resistance temperature detector (RTD) having a variable resistance proportional to the temperature of the heating element, the RTD also having a resistance temperature coefficient that remains constant relative to the temperature of the heating element; and a control unit configured to direct electrical power to the heating element to activate and evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control unit being configured to measure the resistance of the RTD and determine the temperature of the heating element from the resistance, and to control at least one functional element in real time based on the temperature thus determined, the control of the at least one functional element including outputting the temperature for presentation via a display, or adjusting the power of the heating element.

[0007] Exemplary Embodiment 2: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein the RTD is integrated with a heating element and includes an RTD element configured to generate heat to evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0008] Exemplary Implementation 3: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the RTD is formed of elements including platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), or nickel (Ni) or at least an alloy thereof.

[0009] Exemplary Implementation 4: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein control of at least one functional element includes outputting temperature for presentation via a display and adjusting the power of a heating element.

[0010] Exemplary Implementation 5: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein control of at least one functional element includes outputting temperature for presentation via a display, and wherein the display is a remote display, and the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to a control component and configured to enable wireless communication of temperature to the remote display.

[0011] Exemplary Implementation 6: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive a temperature-based setting from a user interface, and the control unit is configured to direct power to a heating element according to the temperature-based setting.

[0012] Exemplary Implementation 7: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the user interface is a remote user interface, and the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to a control component and configured to enable wireless communication of temperature-based settings from the remote user interface.

[0013] Exemplary Embodiment 8: A cartridge connected to or capable of being connected to a control body equipped with control components, the control body being connected to or capable of being connected to the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising: a housing defining a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition; a heating element configured to operate in an active mode, in which the cartridge is connected to the control body, the heating element in active mode being controllable by the control components to activate and evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a resistance temperature detector (RTD) having a variable resistance proportional to the temperature of the heating element, the RTD also having a resistance temperature coefficient that remains constant relative to the temperature of the heating element, wherein the resistance of the RTD is measurable by the control components, the control components being configured to measure the resistance of the RTD and determine the temperature of the heating element from the resistance, and to control at least one functional element in real time based on the temperature thus determined, the control of the at least one functional element including outputting a temperature for display or adjusting the power of the heating element.

[0014] Exemplary Embodiment 9: A barrel according to any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein the RTD is integrated with a heating element and includes an RTD element configured to generate heat to evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0015] Exemplary Implementation 10: A barrel according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the RTD is formed of an element comprising platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), or nickel (Ni) or at least an alloy thereof.

[0016] Exemplary Implementation 11: A barrel according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein control of at least one functional element includes outputting temperature for presentation via a display and adjusting the power of the heating element.

[0017] Exemplary Implementation 12: A barrel according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations 8, wherein control of at least one functional element includes outputting temperature for presentation via a display, and wherein the display is a remote display, and the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to the control unit and configured to enable wireless communication of temperature to the remote display.

[0018] Exemplary Implementation 13: A barrel according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive a temperature-based setting from a user interface, and the control unit is configured to direct power to the heating element according to the temperature-based setting.

[0019] Exemplary Implementation 14: A barrel according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the user interface is a remote user interface, and the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to the control unit and configured to enable wireless communication of temperature-based settings from the remote user interface.

[0020] Exemplary Embodiment 15: A control body coupled to or capable of being coupled to a barrel to form an aerosol delivery device, the barrel being equipped with a heating element and a resistance temperature detector (RTD) and containing an aerosol precursor composition, the RTD having a variable resistance proportional to the temperature of the heating element, the RTD also having a resistance temperature coefficient that is constant relative to the temperature of the heating element, the control body including a control component configured to direct electrical power to the heating element to activate and evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control component being configured to measure the resistance of the RTD and determine the temperature of the heating element from the resistance, and to control at least one functional element in real time based on the temperature thus determined, the control of the at least one functional element including outputting the temperature for presentation via a display, or adjusting the power of the heating element.

[0021] Exemplary Embodiment 16: A control body according to any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein the RTD is integrated with a heating element and includes an RTD element configured to generate heat to evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0022] Exemplary Implementation 17: A control body according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the RTD is formed of elements including platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), or nickel (Ni) or at least an alloy thereof.

[0023] Exemplary Implementation 18: A control subject according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein control of at least one functional element includes outputting temperature for presentation via a display and adjusting the power of a heating element.

[0024] Exemplary Implementation 19: A control entity according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein control of at least one functional element includes outputting temperature for presentation via a display, and wherein the display is a remote display, and the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to the control element and configured to enable wireless communication of temperature to the remote display.

[0025] Exemplary Implementation 20: A control entity according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the control component is further configured to receive a temperature-based setting from a user interface, and the control component is configured to direct power to a heating element according to the temperature-based setting.

[0026] Exemplary Implementation 21: A control entity according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations or any combination of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the user interface is a remote user interface, and the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to the control component and configured to enable wireless communication from the remote user interface based on temperature settings.

[0027] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. This disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements set forth herein, whether such features or elements are described herein as explicitly combined or otherwise recited in the specific exemplary embodiments described herein. Unless expressly specified in the context of this disclosure, this disclosure is intended to be read holistically such that any separable features or elements of this disclosure should be considered as combinable in its aspects and in any of the exemplary embodiments.

[0028] Therefore, it should be understood that the provision of this invention is merely to summarize some exemplary embodiments to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of this disclosure. Consequently, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of this disclosure in any way. Other exemplary embodiments, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of some of the described exemplary embodiments by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The present disclosure has already been described in general terms above, and reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, in which: Figure 1 A front view of an aerosol delivery device including a housing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein the housing has a cartridge therein; Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment according to this disclosure is illustrated schematically. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device; Figure 3 Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown applicable to Figure 1 An exploded view of the feed cylinder of an aerosol delivery device; Figure 4 Exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure are shown. Figure 1 A perspective view of an aerosol delivery device; Figure 5 Exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure are shown. Figure 1 A relative perspective view of the aerosol delivery device; and Figure 6A and 6B The following are illustrated according to some exemplary embodiments. Figure 1 Various components of the aerosol delivery device, including resistance temperature detectors (RTDs). Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present disclosure will now be described more fully below with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. The description of these exemplary embodiments is intended to make the disclosure exhaustive and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present disclosure may be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are proposed so that the disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. The singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar terms used in this specification and the appended claims include indications of a plural unless clearly stated otherwise herein.

[0031] As described below, exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. Aerosol delivery systems according to this disclosure use electrical energy to heat materials (preferably without burning the materials to any significant extent) to form an inhalable substance; components of such systems are in the form of articles, most preferably compact enough to be considered handheld devices. That is, the aerosol primarily originates from the generation of smoke, a byproduct of the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco; in this sense, using the components of preferred aerosol delivery systems does not result in the generation of smoke, but rather in the generation of vapor, which is caused by the volatilization or evaporation of some of its components. In some exemplary embodiments, the components of the aerosol delivery system may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes most preferably contain tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components, and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0032] Certain preferred aerosol delivery systems can provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., inhalation and exhalation habits, flavor or aroma, sensory effects, bodily sensations, usage habits, visual cues provided by the visible aerosol, etc.) without burning any of its components to a significant degree. These cigarettes, cigars, or pipes are used by lighting and burning tobacco (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke). For example, a user of the aerosol generator of this disclosure can hold and use the object like a smoker using a conventional type of smoking product, inhale at one end of the object to inhale the aerosol generated by the object, and take inhales or puffs at selected time intervals.

[0033] The aerosol delivery system disclosed herein can also be characterized as an article that generates vapor or a pharmaceutical delivery article. Therefore, such articles or devices can be modified to deliver one or more substances (e.g., flavorings and / or active pharmaceutical ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance can be in the form of a substantially vaporous substance (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at temperatures below a critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance can be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For simplicity purposes, the term "aerosol" as used herein is intended to include vapors, gases, or aerosols of a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or not, and whether or not they can be considered in a smoke-like form.

[0034] The aerosol delivery system disclosed herein generally comprises multiple components disposed within an outer body or housing, which may be referred to as a shell. The overall design of the outer body or housing can vary, and the form or construction of the outer body, which defines the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device, can vary. Aerosol delivery devices are often constructed in a manner that mimics aspects of certain conventional smoking devices such as cigarettes or cigars. In this respect, aerosol delivery devices typically define a substantially cylindrical construction. Generally, the elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be formed from a single integral shell, or the elongated shell can be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, an aerosol delivery device may include an elongated shell or body that can be of a generally tubular shape, thereby mimicking the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. Aerosol delivery devices often include a control body and a cartridge attached end-to-end to define a substantially cylindrical construction.

[0035] While such constructions can provide a similar look and feel to conventional smoking products, they may suffer certain drawbacks. For example, a cylindrical aerosol delivery device may not have a defined attachment point for holding the device in a desired position when not in use. Furthermore, a cylindrical construction may expose the mouthpiece to the surrounding environment and make it susceptible to contamination. Therefore, it is desirable to provide aerosol delivery devices with a construction that differs from that associated with conventional smoking products.

[0036] In one example, all components of the aerosol delivery device are housed within a single housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may comprise two or more interconnected and separable housings. For instance, the aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end, comprising a housing that houses one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the article), and the smoking article may be integrally or detachably attached at the other end to an outer body or housing that houses a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavored cartridge).

[0037] Most preferably, the aerosol delivery system of this disclosure includes certain combinations of the following components: a power source (i.e., a power supply), at least one control component (e.g., a device such as a microprocessor alone or as part of a microcontroller for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the power used for heating by controlling the current flowing from the power source to other components of the article), a heater or heating element (e.g., a resistance heating element or other component), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid such as an ingredient commonly referred to as "cigarette juice," "e-liquid," and "e-juice," which is generally capable of generating an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied), and a mouthpiece region or end that allows inhalation at the aerosol delivery device to draw in the aerosol (e.g., a defined airflow passage through the article such that the generated aerosol can be drawn out from the airflow passage upon inhalation). In some embodiments, the resistance heating element or other component, alone or in combination with one or more other components, may generally be collectively referred to as an "atomizer," or may be or include a resistance temperature detector (RTD).

[0038] In various examples, the aerosol delivery device may include a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition. Specifically, the reservoir may be formed of a porous material (e.g., a fibrous material), and thus may be referred to as a porous substrate (e.g., a fibrous substrate).

[0039] The fibrous substrate that can be used as a reservoir in an aerosol delivery device can be a woven or nonwoven material formed from multiple fibers or filaments, and can be formed from one or both of natural and synthetic fibers. For example, the fibrous substrate may include glass fiber material. In a specific example, cellulose acetate material may be used. In other exemplary embodiments, carbon materials may be used. In further embodiments, viscose rayon or regenerated cellulose may be used. The reservoir may be substantially in the form of a container and may include the fibrous material.

[0040] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include an indicator, which may include one or more light-emitting diodes or a graphical user interface via a display. The indicator may be communicated with control components via connector circuitry and illuminates, for example, during a period when a flow sensor detects that the user is inhaling at the tip of their mouth.

[0041] More specific forms, constructions, and configurations of the components within the aerosol delivery system of this disclosure will become apparent from the further disclosure provided below. Furthermore, considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, the selection and configuration of various aerosol delivery device components, such as those representative products cited in the background section of this disclosure, can be understood. Furthermore, considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, the arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device can also be understood. Examples of commercially available products, their components, methods of operation, materials and / or other properties contained herein may be included in the devices disclosed herein and sold as the following products: ACCORD® sold by Philip Morris Incorporated; ALPHA™, JOYE510™ and M4™ sold by InnoVapor LLC; CIRRUS™ and FLING™ sold by White Cloud Cigarettes; BLU™ sold by Lorillard Technologies, Inc.; COHITA™, COLIBRI™, ELITECLASSIC™, MAGNUM™, PHANTOM™ and SENSE™ sold by Epuffer® International Inc.; DUOPRO™, STORM™ and VAPORKING® sold by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc.; and Egar Australia. EGAR™ sold by [Company Name] (Australia); eGo-C™ and eGo-T™ sold by Joyetech; ELUSION™ sold by Elusion UK Ltd; EONSMOKE® sold by Eonsmoke LLC; FINTM sold by FIN Branding Group, LLC; SMOKE® sold by Green Smoke Inc. USA; GREENARETTE™ sold by Greenarette LLC; HALLIGAN™, HENDU™, JET™, MAXXQ™, PINK™, and PITBULL™ sold by SmokeStik®; and Philip Morris International, Inc.HEATBAR™ sold by Crown7; HYDRO IMPERIAL™ sold by Crown7; LOGIC™ and THE CUBAN™ sold by LOGIC Technology; LUCI® sold by Luciano Smokes Inc.; METRO® sold by Nicotek, LLC; NJOY® and ONEJOY™ sold by Sottera, Inc.; NO. 7™ sold by SS Choice LLC; PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE™ sold by PremiumEstore LLC; RAPPE-MYSTICK™ sold by Ruyan America, Inc.; RED DRAGON™ sold by Red Dragon Products, LLC; and Ruyan Group (Holdings) Co., Ltd. RUYAN® sold by RJ Reynolds Ltd.; SF® sold by Smoker Friendly International Ltd.; GREEN SMART SMOKER® sold by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd.; SMOKE ASSIST® sold by Coastline Products LLC; SMOKINGEVERYWHERE® sold by Smoking Everywhere, Inc.; V2CIGS™ sold by VMR Products LLC; VAPOR NINE™ sold by VaporNine LLC; VAPOR4LIFE® sold by Vapor 4 Life, Inc.; VEPPO™ sold by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC; and products sold by RJ Reynolds Ltd.Reynolds VaporCompany sells AVIGO, VUSE, VUSE CONNECT, VUSE FOB, VUSE HYBRID, ALTO, ALTO+, MODO, CIRO, FOX + FOG, and SOLO+; MISTIC MENTHOL sells Mistic Ecigs; and VYPE sells CN Creative Ltd. Other electric aerosol delivery devices, specifically those already referred to as e-cigarettes, are marketed under the following trade names: COOLER VISIONS™; DIRECT E-CIG™; DRAGONFLY™; EMIST™; EVERSMOKE™; GAMUCCI®; HYBRID FLAME™; KNIGHT STICKS™; ROYAL BLUES™; SMOKETIP®; and SOUTH BEACH SMOKE™.

[0042] Other manufacturers, designers, and / or assigns of components and related technologies that may be used in the aerosol delivery devices disclosed herein include: Shenzhen Jieshibo Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen First Union Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Safe Cig, Los Angeles, California; Janty Asia Company, Philippines; Joyetech Changzhou Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; SIS Resources, Inc.; B2B International Holdings, Dover, Delaware; Evolv LLC, Ohio; Montrade, Bologna, Italy; Shenzhen Bauway Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Global Vapor Trademarks Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida; Vapor Corp., Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Nemtra GmbH, Raschau-Markersbach, Germany. Perrigo L. Co., Ltd. of Allegheny County, Michigan; Needs Co., Ltd. of Las Vegas, Nevada; Smokefree Innotec of Helsingborg, Sweden; McNeil AB of Helsingborg, Sweden; Chong of Canada; Alexza Pharmaceuticals of Mountain View, California; BLEC LLC of Charlotte, North Carolina; Gaitrend Sarl of Rohrbach-lès-Bitche, France; FeelLife Bioscience International of Shenzhen, China; Vishay Electronic BMGH of Seilb, Germany; and Shenzhen Smaco Technology Ltd. of Shenzhen, China.Vapor Systems International (Boca Raton, Florida); Exonoid Medical Devices (Israel); Shenzhen Nowotech Electronic (Shenzhen, China); Minilogic Device Corporation (Hong Kong, China); Shenzhen Kontle Electronics (Shenzhen, China); Shenzhen Kontle Electronics (Medina, Ohio); 21st Century Smoke (Belloit, Wisconsin); and Kimree Holdings (HK) Co. Limited (Hong Kong, China).

[0043] According to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, Figure 1 A front view of the aerosol delivery device 100 is shown. Figure 2 A modified cross-sectional view of the aerosol delivery device is shown. As shown, the aerosol delivery device may include a housing defining a control body 102 and a cartridge 104. The cartridge may be movable relative to at least a portion or entirely of the housing. Specifically, the cartridge may be movable relative to at least a portion of the housing. Figure 1 The extended structure shown in the figure and Figure 2 The movement between the retractable structures is shown in the diagram. Details regarding the mechanisms and methods associated with the movement of the barrel relative to the shell are described below.

[0044] In some exemplary embodiments, either or both of the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be considered disposable or reusable. The aerosol delivery device may include various other components disposed within or otherwise coupled to the control body or cartridge. These components may be distributed between the control body and the cartridge in any of a variety of ways. For example, the cartridge may include a replaceable or rechargeable battery and thus can be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a wall charger, connection to a vehicle charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter socket), connection to a computer such as via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes referred to as a solar cell), or a solar panel. Further, in some exemplary embodiments, the cartridge may include a disposable cartridge, such as the cartridge disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Therefore, it should be understood that the described embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the cartridge 104 may include a mouthpiece 106, which can be exposed when the cartridge is in an extended configuration. In other words, when the cartridge is in an extended configuration, the mouthpiece can be positioned outside the control body housing 102, allowing the user to engage the mouthpiece with his or her lips. Therefore, the extended configuration of the cartridge is configured such that the aerosol delivery device 100 is configured to receive suction at the mouthpiece, enabling the aerosol delivery device to generate and deliver the aerosol to the user in the manner described above.

[0046] In one exemplary embodiment, the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 forming the aerosol delivery device 100 may be permanently coupled to each other. Examples of aerosol delivery devices that can be configured as disposable and / or may include a first outer body and a second outer body configured for permanent coupling are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 170,838, filed February 3, 2014, by Bless et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In another exemplary embodiment, the cartridge and control body may be configured as a single piece, non-removable form, and may include the components, appearance, and features disclosed herein. However, in another exemplary embodiment, the control body and cartridge may be configured as detachable, such that, for example, the cartridge can be refilled or replaced.

[0047] For example, in Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 100 includes a power source 202 positioned within a control body 102. The power source may include, for example, a battery (disposable or rechargeable), a solid-state battery, a thin-film solid-state battery, a supercapacitor, or combinations thereof. Examples of suitable power sources are provided in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 918,926, filed October 21, 2015 by Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, a connector 204 may be movably attached to the housing. The cartridge 104 may mate with the connector to be movable relative to at least a portion of the control body housing. In some embodiments, the cartridge may be detachably mate with the connector and is replaceable.

[0048] The control body 102 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may additionally include a control component 206 housed therein. For example... Figure 2 As further shown, in addition to the mouthpiece 106, the cartridge may also include a base 208, an atomizer 210, a reservoir 212, and an outer body 216, wherein the cartridge is connected to the control body at the base. The cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components, which may include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors, resistors (e.g., a resistance temperature detector (RTD)), etc. The electronic components may be adapted to communicate with the control body 206 and / or with external devices via wired or wireless means. The electronic components may be located anywhere within the cartridge or its base 208.

[0049] The control unit 206 of the control body 102 may be configured to direct power from the power source 202 to the cartridge 104 to heat the aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir 212 by the atomizer 210 and generate vapor, which can be done during a user's inhalation at the mouthpiece 106 of the cartridge. The control unit includes multiple electronic components, and in some examples, may be formed by a printed circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. Examples of suitable electronic components include microprocessors or processor cores, integrated circuits (ICs), memory, etc. In some examples, the control unit may include a microcontroller having an integrated processor core and memory, and may also include one or more integrated input / output peripherals.

[0050] In some examples, control body 102 may include a communication interface 218, which may be included on the PCB of control component 206, or control body 102 may include a separate PCB that may be coupled to the PCB of control component 206 or one or more components. The communication interface enables aerosol delivery device 100 to wirelessly communicate with one or more networks, computing devices, or other appropriately enabled devices such as suitable remote user interfaces. Examples of suitable computing devices include any of a variety of mobile computers. More specific examples of suitable mobile computers include portable computers (e.g., laptops, notebook computers, tablet computers), mobile phones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), wearable computers (e.g., smartwatches), etc. In other examples, the computing device may be implemented as a computing device other than a mobile computer, such as a desktop computer, server computer, etc. Examples of suitable ways of configuring aerosol delivery devices for wireless communication are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 327,776, filed July 10, 2014 by Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 609,032, filed January 29, 2016 by Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0051] Communication interface 218 provides the ability to transmit and receive data via wired or wireless networks such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), and / or a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. The communication interface enables control unit 206 to communicate directly or via a network with one or more other computing devices. In this regard, the communication interface may include one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices and / or networks.

[0052] Depending on the desired communication technology, the communication interface 218 may include, for example, antennas (or multiple antennas) for enabling wireless communication with a communication network (e.g., cellular network, Wi-Fi, WLAN, etc.) and / or for supporting device-to-device short-range communication, as well as supporting hardware and / or software. Examples of suitable short-range communication technologies that can be supported by the communication interface include various near-field communication (NFC) technologies, wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies, etc. More specific examples of suitable WPAN technologies include those specified by the IEEE 802.15 standard or others, including Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE), ZigBee, infrared (e.g., IrDA), radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless USB, etc. Other examples of suitable short-range communication technologies include Wi-Fi Direct, and certain other technologies based on IEEE 802.11 and / or IEEE 802.15.4, or specified by the IEEE 802.11 and / or IEEE 802.15.4 standards and supporting direct device-to-device communication.

[0053] As described above, the barrel 104 is movable relative to the control body 102. In this respect, the aerosol delivery device 100 may also include an actuator 220. Specifically, the actuator may be coupled to the connector 204. Thus, the actuator may be operatively engaged with the barrel and configured to move the barrel between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration.

[0054] As mentioned above, in Figure 1 In the case where the barrel 104 is in an extended configuration, the nozzle 106 can be exposed. Conversely, as... Figure 2 As shown, in the retracted structure, the nozzle is compared to Figure 1 The extended configuration is closer to the control body housing 102. In the retracted configuration, the nozzle may be flush with the housing. In other words, the outer surface of the nozzle may be substantially aligned with the outer surface of the housing. In another embodiment, the nozzle may be recessed relative to the housing. In other words, a gap may be provided between the outer surface of the nozzle and the outer surface of the housing.

[0055] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 and 2 A more specific example of the cartridge 104. As shown, in addition to the nozzle 106, base 208, atomizer 210, reservoir 212, and outer body 216, the cartridge according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may also include a base transport plug 302, a control component terminal 304, an electronic control component 306, a flow tube 308, a label portion 310, and a nozzle transport plug 312. In various configurations, this structure may be referred to as a reservoir; therefore, the terms "cartridge," "reservoir," etc., are used interchangeably to refer to a container enclosing a reservoir for an aerosol precursor composition and including a heater housing or other enclosure.

[0056] The base 208 may be coupled to a first end of the outer body 216 and the nozzle 106 may be coupled to the opposite second end of the outer body to at least partially enclose the other components of the cartridge 104, except for the label portion 310, the nozzle transport plug 312, and the base transport plug 302, within the outer body. The base may be configured to engage with an associated device including the power supply 202. In some embodiments, the base may include anti-rotation features that substantially prevent relative rotation between the cartridge and the associated device including the power supply. The base transport plug may be configured to engage and protect the base before use of the cartridge. Similarly, the nozzle transport plug may be configured to engage and protect the nozzle before use of the cartridge.

[0057] Control component terminal 304, electronic control component 306, flow tube 308, atomizer 210, and storage substrate 212 may be retained within the outer body 216. A label portion 310 may at least partially surround the outer body 314 and include information such as product identification on the label portion 318. The atomizer 210 may include a first heating terminal 314a and a second heating terminal 314b, a liquid delivery element 316, and a heating element 318, which in some examples may be or include a resistance temperature detector (RTD).

[0058] In some examples, the valve may be positioned between the reservoir and the heating element and configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition transferred from the reservoir to the heating element.

[0059] As described herein, reservoir 212 may be a housing or a fiber reservoir. For example, the reservoir may comprise one or more layers of nonwoven fibers, which are substantially formed in a tubular shape surrounding the interior of barrel 104. The aerosol precursor composition may be held in the reservoir. For example, liquid components may be held by adsorption in the reservoir. The reservoir may be fluidly connected to a liquid delivery element 316 adapted to wick or otherwise deliver the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to the heating element 318. Specifically, the liquid delivery element may deliver the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir to the heating element via capillary action, in this example, the heating element being in the form of a metal coil. Thus, the heating element and the liquid delivery element are arranged together in a heating configuration.

[0060] In some examples, a microfluidic chip may be embedded in reservoir 212, and the aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir may be controlled by a micropump, such as a micropump based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Heating element 318 may be configured to perform radio frequency induction-based heating of the aerosol precursor composition, as described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 934,763, filed November 6, 2015, by Davis et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. As described herein, further exemplary embodiments of reservoirs and delivery elements available in aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure are described below, and such reservoirs and / or delivery elements may be included in, for example, Figure 3 In the apparatus shown. Specifically, as described herein, a particular combination of heating elements and conveying elements, as further described below, may be included in, for example... Figure 3 In the device shown.

[0061] Various examples of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied through them can be used to form heating element 318. Heating elements in these examples can be resistance heating elements such as coils. Exemplary materials that can form coils include platinum (Pt) and platinum alloys, titanium (Ti) and titanium alloys, copper (Cu) and copper alloys, nickel (Ni) and nickel alloys, iron-chromium-aluminum heat-resistant steel (Kanthal) (FeCrAl), nickel-chromium alloys, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)2) mixed with aluminum, graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). As described herein, exemplary embodiments of heating elements or heating components useful in aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure are further described below and can be included in, for example... Figure 3 In the device shown.

[0062] The barrel 104 may include a flow guide defined with a non-tubular structure, an electronic device compartment sealed relative to a reservoir compartment, and / or any of the various other features and components disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the specific embodiments of the barrel described herein are provided for illustrative purposes only. In this regard, given the various alternatives and additional components that may be included in the barrel, the barrel... Figure 2 The diagram is schematically shown as including only the mouthpiece 106, the outer body 216, the atomizer 210, the reservoir 212, and the base 208.

[0063] One or more components of the barrel 108 may be configured to form an electrical connection with the connector 204. For example, see reference... Figure 3In the barrel embodiment, the first heating terminal 314a and the second heating terminal 314b (e.g., positive and negative terminals) at opposite ends of the heating element 318 are configured to form an electrical connection with the connector. Further, the electronic control component 306 (see...) Figure 3 ) can be controlled via component terminal 304 (see Figure 3 The connector forms an electrical connection with the material cartridge. Therefore, components within the control body 102 (e.g., control component 206) can employ electronic control components to determine whether the cartridge is genuine and / or whether it performs other functions. However, in other embodiments, the connection between the connector and the cartridge may not be electrical. In other words, the connection between the connector and the cartridge can be purely mechanical. In these embodiments, atomization can occur outside the cartridge, or atomization can be performed via other methods that do not require an electrical connection between the cartridge and the housing, such as via piezoelectric or radio frequency atomization. Alternatively, the power source can be located within the cartridge, eliminating the need for an electrical connection to the connector.

[0064] In use, when a user inhales onto the aerosol delivery device 100, the heater 318 of the atomizer 210 is activated to evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition. Inhalation onto the nozzle 106 of the aerosol delivery device allows ambient air to enter and pass through an opening in the connector 204 or the cartridge 104. In the cartridge, the inhaled air combines with the generated vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is agitated, drawn in, or otherwise removed from the heating element and extracted from the opening in the nozzle of the aerosol delivery device. However, in other embodiments, the airflow may be received by other parts of the aerosol delivery device. As described above, in some embodiments, the cartridge may include a flow tube 308. The flow tube may be configured to direct the airflow to the heating element.

[0065] Specifically, sensors in the aerosol delivery device 100 detect airflow throughout the aerosol delivery device. When airflow is detected, control unit 206 directs current to heating element 318 via circuitry including a first heating terminal 314a and a second heating terminal 314b. The heating element then causes the aerosol precursor composition, guided from reservoir 212 to the aerosolization zone by liquid delivery element 324, to evaporate. The mouthpiece 216 then allows the aerosol (i.e., components of the inhalable aerosol precursor composition) to reach the consumer inhaling through it. In some examples where the heating element is or includes a resistance temperature detector (RTD), the RTD can be used to provide an optimal temperature for a particular e-liquid. For example, the aerosol precursor composition within cartridge 104 may have a specific fragrance, with information indicating the fragrance type stored in the cartridge's memory (e.g., on a microchip). This information can be used to determine (or “read”) the aroma of the aerosol precursor composition in the barrel, and the RTD value can be adjusted to provide the optimal temperature for that particular aroma.

[0066] Figure 4 A perspective view of an aerosol delivery device 100 in a closed configuration according to some exemplary embodiments is shown, while Figure 5 A perspective view of an aerosol delivery device in an extended configuration according to some exemplary embodiments is shown, the aerosol delivery device having a specific shape factor. As shown, the housing of the control body 102 may be defined with an ergonomic shape configured to fit comfortably in the user's hand. However, the shape of the housing is not limited and can be any shape including the various elements described herein. In some embodiments, the housing may be explicitly non-cylindrical.

[0067] like Figure 4 As shown, the aerosol delivery device 100 may additionally include an input mechanism 402 configured to receive input from a user. The input mechanism may take various forms, such as buttons, keypads, dial pads, touchscreens, audio input interfaces, visual / image capture input interfaces, sensor data inputs, etc. When the input mechanism is actuated, the aerosol delivery device may produce an output corresponding to the state of the aerosol delivery device. For example, the aerosol delivery device may output sound, vibration, or light. The aerosol delivery device may also include an indicator 404. The indicator may include a light transmitter (e.g., a plastic or glass light transmitter that can be colored to a desired color). Further, the indicator may include a light emitter, which may include an incandescent bulb or a light-emitting diode (LED). Thus, the light emitter can illuminate the light transmitter, which can direct light outwards through it to output the state of the aerosol delivery device.

[0068] Indicator 404 may flash or otherwise illuminate to indicate the remaining or used capacity of power supply 206 or memory 212. For example, a relatively large number of flashes of the indicator when actuating input mechanism 402 may correspond to a relatively large remaining capacity of power supply or memory. Conversely, a relatively small number of flashes of the indicator when actuating input mechanism may correspond to a relatively small remaining capacity of power supply or memory. However, the indicator and / or other output mechanisms may be used to output various other information and / or output information in various other ways. Examples of other information that may be output include error messages, operating modes, historical usage information, etc.

[0069] In some implementations, such as Figure 4 and 5 As shown, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a display 406. A display may be provided in addition to or as an alternative to indicator 404. The display may be configured to output various information, including information about the status of the aerosol delivery device, information unrelated to the status of the aerosol delivery device (e.g., current time), and / or non-information graphics (e.g., graphics provided for user entertainment purposes). Therefore, the display may be configured to output any or all of the above information in any form, such as graphical and / or digital form (e.g., the remaining or used portion of the capacity of power supply 206 or storage 212, or the temperature of heating element 318).

[0070] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the operation of the display 406 may be controlled by the input mechanism 402 or a separate input mechanism. For example, the display may be a touchscreen and thus configured for user input. In some embodiments, the display may provide icons, menus, or the like configured to allow the user to make control selections related to the function of the aerosol delivery device, check specific states of the device, etc. Although the display is shown as encompassing only a relatively small portion of the aerosol delivery device, it should be understood that the display may cover a significantly larger portion of the aerosol delivery device.

[0071] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to this disclosure can be selected from components described in the prior art and commercially available components. Examples of batteries that can be used according to this disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 by Peckerar et al., the full text of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] The aerosol delivery device 100 may also include a flow sensor 210 or another sensor or detector for controlling the power supply to the heating element 318 when aerosol generation is desired (e.g., during inhalation during use). Thus, for example, a manner or method is provided for shutting off the power supply to the heating element when the aerosol delivery device is not being aspirated during use, and for turning on the power supply during inhalation to actuate or trigger heating by the heating element. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and their general operating methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 2010 / 003480 to Flick, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0073] The aerosol delivery device 100 is most preferably combined with a control component 206 or another control mechanism for controlling the power to the heating element 318 during aspiration. Representative types of electronic components, their structures and constructions, their features, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270727 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 209,191 to Henry et al., filed March 13, 2014. All of these documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0074] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 to Davis et al., filed August 28, 2013, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 170,838 to Bless et al., filed February 3, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, various wicking materials, and the construction and operation of those wicking materials in certain types of electronic cigarettes, are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0209105 to Sears et al., the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0075] Aerosol precursor compositions, also known as vapor precursor compositions, may comprise a variety of components, including, for example, polyols (such as glycerol, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, and / or edible flavorings. The components and compositions of representative types of aerosol precursors are described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0213417 to Chong et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collett 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 full text of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include those already included in the following products: RJ Reynolds VaporCompany's VUSE® product, Imperial Brands PLC's BLUTM product, Mistic Ecigs' MISTIC MENTHOL product, and CN Creative Ltd's VYPE product. Also expected are the so-called "tobacco" for electronic cigarettes, already available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC.

[0076] Other representative types of components, such as LEDs and related components, that generate visual cues or indications, auditory elements (e.g., speakers), and vibratory elements (e.g., vibration motors), may be employed in the aerosol delivery device 100. Examples of suitable LED components, their construction, and uses are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 173,266 to Sears et al., filed February 5, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0077] U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Katase, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 to Tucker et al. Other features, controllers, or components that may be included in the aerosol delivery device disclosed herein are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 by Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 by Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 by Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 by Novak et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 by DePiano et al., and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 286,552 by Brinkley et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0078] According to some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the temperature of the aerosol delivery device 100, and more specifically the temperature of the heating element 318, can be measured, displayed, and / or controlled in real time or near real time (generally "real time"). In these examples, accurate temperature feedback can be provided to the user. Furthermore, the user can provide input to adjust the temperature via a wireless or onboard user interface. In these examples, the user can achieve a desired aerosol level based on the device temperature of the heating element without requiring explicit knowledge of voltage, watts, or ohms, which are traditionally used as the basis for expressing such adjustment.

[0079] Figure 6A and 6B The diagram illustrates the specific configuration of various electronic components 600 of an aerosol delivery device 100 according to some exemplary embodiments. Such configuration can be used to provide real-time display and / or control of the temperature of the heating element 318. For example, as shown, the aerosol delivery device may include a control component 206 operatively coupled to RTDs 602A, 602B to enable real-time measurement, display, and / or control of the heating element temperature.

[0080] Specifically, RTDs 602A and 602B may have variable resistance that is proportional to the temperature of the heating element 318. The RTD may also have a resistance temperature coefficient that remains constant relative to the temperature of the heating element. Based at least in part on these characteristics, the control unit 206 may be configured to measure the resistance of the RTD and determine the temperature of the heating element from that resistance. The control unit can then control the functional elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 in real time based on the determined temperature. It should be noted that although exemplary embodiments of the control unit 206 of the control body 102 have been discussed herein, in some examples, the function of the control unit may alternatively be performed by or in conjunction with the control unit 306 of the barrel 104.

[0081] RTDs 602A and 602B typically include an RTD element 604 and leads Lw for connecting the RTD element to a measuring instrument such as a control unit 206. It should be noted that although the illustrated embodiment depicts an RTD with two leads, the RTD may alternatively include various other multi-lead configurations, such as three-lead and four-lead configurations.

[0082] More specifically, Figure 6A and 6B Suitable RTDs 602A and 602B according to some exemplary embodiments are shown. In some examples, such as Figure 6A As shown, RTD 602A may include an RTD element 604, such as a resistor R or a sensing wire, which may be operatively coupled to the heating element 318 to provide a variable resistance that is proportional to the temperature of the heating element. In some alternative examples, such as Figure 6B As shown, the RTD 602B can be integrated with the heating element 318 of the aerosol delivery device 100. In these examples, in addition to being configured to generate heat to evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition, the heating element itself can be used as an RTD element or sensing line to provide directly measurable resistance to determine its temperature.

[0083] In the example of a unified whole ( Figure 6BThe heating element 318, used as the RTD element 604, can be formed of a metal with suitable inherent material properties to provide a linear approximation of resistance as a function of temperature. Examples of suitable metals include platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), or various alloys thereof. That is, the RTD element can be formed of a platinum, titanium, copper, or nickel alloy. The RTD element can also be formed of any other metal that has a relatively large temperature coefficient of resistance (α) and does not fluctuate significantly as a function of temperature. In embodiments where the heating element is formed of one of these suitable metals, the heating element can be used as an RTD element.

[0084] In some examples, RTD element 604 may also have a suitably large enough temperature coefficient of resistance to maintain the resistance variation of RTDs 602A, 602B based on the processing speed of control unit 206. As used herein, a “suitably large enough” temperature coefficient of resistance can refer to a temperature coefficient of resistance with a predetermined value relative to the processing power of the control unit (e.g., a microprocessor). For example, a control unit including at least a 12-bit microprocessor may be required to achieve the resolution needed for the effect of resistance variation of the RTD per degree Celsius. In this example, the temperature coefficient of resistance may be greater than or equal to 0.001, which may be sufficient for an 8- to 12-bit processor. In some examples, the faster the processing speed of the control unit, the lower the required temperature coefficient of resistance value, such that the processing speed of the control unit and the temperature coefficient of resistance are inversely proportional. For example, in one embodiment, even though the nichrome alloy has a small temperature coefficient of resistance (e.g., 0.00017), the RTD element may be formed of nichrome alloy, and a high-speed microprocessor may be used in conjunction with the RTD element.

[0085] For metals, resistance increases with temperature, and a negative correlation can be observed in intrinsic semiconductors and carbon as a function of resistance versus temperature. For certain metals or elements such as platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni), and at least some of their alloys, the temperature coefficient of resistance is relatively large and constant with respect to the temperature of the heating element, thus remaining relatively constant as the temperature increases. This characteristic allows the resistance to be linearly approximated as a function of temperature, in which the following relationship is shown in equation (1), where Ro is the resistance at temperature To (the initial temperature of the heating element 318), α is the temperature coefficient of resistance, and RT is the resistance at temperature T (the final temperature of the heating element): R_T=R_o [1+α(T-T_o )] (1) If the temperature coefficient of resistance (α) is experimentally quantified and used over a narrower temperature range, the accuracy of RTD 602 ​​in predicting or determining the temperature of heating element 318 (e.g., an atomizer) and thus providing resistance-temperature feedback will be improved. This α can then be hardcoded into control unit 206 (e.g., a microcontroller) so that the algorithm can adjust the heating element temperature based on the real-time resistance value of the heating element. The measured temperature of the heating element over a given temperature range can be obtained via equation (2): T= T_0+(((R / R_0 -1)) / α) (2) In any of these examples, RTDs 602A and 602B may be located within the control body 102 or within the barrel 104. Specifically, in examples where the RTD element 604 and the heating element 318 are separate and distinct components, the RTD may be located within the barrel and operatively coupled to the control unit 206 when the control body 102 mates with the barrel. Alternatively, the RTD may be located within the control body and operatively coupled to the heating element when the housing mates with the barrel.

[0086] Similarly, in the example where the RTD element 604 and the heating element 318 are integrated, RTDs 602A and 602B may be located within the barrel 104 and operatively connected to the control unit 206 when the control body 102 mates with the barrel. Further, in some examples, components of the RTD may be located within both the control body and the barrel. For example, the RTD element may be located within the barrel, and a lead Lw may be connected to the RTD element and extend further into the control body for connecting the RTD element to the control unit.

[0087] In some examples, RTDs 602A and 602B can be used in conjunction with pulse width modulation (PWM) to address power depletion issues of power supply 104 in order to maintain a set temperature throughout the power cycle. The PWM can be driven by control unit 206 (e.g., a microcontroller) and one or more algorithms executed by control unit 206 to optimize the power used for each draw. In some examples, the voltage of power supply 202 can decrease steadily during its discharge, and the power supply can be configured to provide power for the duration of use of at least two barrels 104. In this example, it is desirable to maintain a constant voltage output and thus a constant temperature for each draw from the first and second barrels during barrel use. Therefore, the PWM can be configured such that the voltage output increases steadily with each incremental draw. For example, in one implementation, the first incremental pumping (e.g., 50 pumps) uses 70% of the voltage output, the next incremental pumping uses 75% of the voltage output, the next incremental pumping uses 80% of the voltage output, and so on until the final incremental pumping uses 100% of the voltage output. In this example, as the supply voltage drops during discharge, the 100% voltage output near the end of the discharge phase will produce the same voltage as the 70% voltage output of a fully charged supply.

[0088] As described above, control component 206 may be configured to control functional elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 in real time based on the determined temperature of the heating element 318. In these examples, control of the functional elements may include outputting the temperature for display via a local or remote user interface, and / or adjusting the power of the heating element. It should be noted that control of the functional elements does not necessarily require outputting the temperature for display in all cases. For example, in one embodiment, the temperature may be hidden or invisible to the user of the aerosol delivery device 100, and in this embodiment, the power of the heating element may be adjusted only as a safety feature. Alternatively, in some examples, the temperature may be visible to the user, and the aerosol delivery device may include a user interface 606 including an input mechanism 402 and a display 406 to enable the user to interact with the aerosol delivery device. In some examples, control component may be configured to receive temperature-based settings from the user interface (e.g., via the input mechanism) and direct power to the heating element according to the temperature-based settings.

[0089] As an addition to or alternative to user interface 606, in some examples, the temperature of aerosol delivery device 100 may also be displayed on a remote user interface 608 and / or controllable based on temperature-based settings provided by the remote user interface 608, which may include suitable input mechanisms 608 and a display 610. In these examples, the aerosol delivery device may also include a communication interface 612 to enable communication with the remote user interface, thereby enabling the presentation and control of the temperature through the remote user interface. For example, according to some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the aerosol delivery device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with the remote user interface indirectly via one or more networks.

[0090] In some implementations, the remote user interface 612 may be a remote user interface of a remote computing device. Examples of suitable computing devices include any of a variety of mobile computers. More specific examples of suitable mobile computers include portable computers (e.g., laptops, notebook computers, and tablet computers), mobile phones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), wearable computers (e.g., smartwatches), etc. In other examples, the computing device may be implemented as a computing device other than a mobile computer, such as a desktop computer, server computer, etc.

[0091] Examples of suitable ways in which an aerosol delivery device can be configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote computing device including a remote user interface 612 are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 327,776 filed July 10, 2014 by Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 609,032 filed January 29, 2016 by Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0092] In these examples, control of the functional elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 may include outputting a temperature for presentation via a remote display 612, wherein a communication interface 608 may be coupled to the control unit 206 and configured to enable wireless communication of the temperature to the remote display. Similarly, a communication interface may be coupled to the control unit and configured to enable wireless communication of temperature-based settings from a remote user interface 608 (e.g., via a remote input mechanism 610).

[0093] Based on the further disclosure provided herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing description of the article's use can be applied, with minor modifications, to various exemplary embodiments described herein. However, the foregoing description of use is not intended to limit the use of the article, but rather to provide all necessary requirements for conforming to this disclosure. Figure 1-6AAny element shown in the article shown in 6B or any other element as described above may be included in the aerosol delivery device according to this disclosure.

[0094] Benefiting from the teachings in the foregoing description and associated drawings, those skilled in the art will conceive of numerous modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and various modifications and other embodiments are included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, although exemplary embodiments have been described in the context of certain example combinations of elements and / or functions in the foregoing description and associated drawings, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions can be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, as may be set forth in some of the appended claims, different combinations of elements and / or functions beyond those explicitly described above are also contemplated. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used in a general and descriptive sense and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A cartridge for an aerosol delivery device, comprising: The housing, and at least partially disposed within the housing: A reservoir configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition; Atomizer, which is controllable to activate and evaporate the components of the aerosol precursor composition; A memory configured to store product information therein, wherein the feed cylinder is configured to transmit the product information to enable control of the atomizer.

2. The feed cylinder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a communication interface configured to transmit the product information to control the atomizer.

3. The feed cylinder as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The communication interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote computing device to control the atomizer.

4. The feed cylinder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cartridge is configured to connect with a control body to form an aerosol delivery device. The control body includes a communication interface configured to transmit product information and a control component configured to communicate with it. The control component is configured to control the atomizer based on the product information transmitted thereto.

5. The feed cylinder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The product information includes the composition of the aerosol precursor component.

6. The feed cylinder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The product information includes fragrance information, and the atomizer is controlled to provide an optimal temperature for a specific fragrance, the optimal temperature being the temperature at which the specific fragrance is provided in an inhalable state.

7. The feed cylinder as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The barrel shell is configured to be movably connected to the control body.

8. The feed cylinder as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an actuator that operatively engages with the barrel housing, the actuator being configured to move the barrel housing relative to the control body between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration.

9. The feed cylinder as described in claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes an electrical connector disposed within the control body and configured to electrically connect the barrel housing to the control body, wherein the barrel housing is configured to be movably connected to the control body via an electrical connector coupled to the actuator.

10. An aerosol delivery device, comprising: The material barrel includes a housing, and at least partially disposed within the housing: A reservoir configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition; Atomizer, which is controllable to activate and evaporate the components of the aerosol precursor composition; A memory configured to store product information therein; as well as A communication interface configured to transmit product information to control the atomizer.

11. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes a control body, the control body comprising a housing, and within the control housing comprising: A control component configured to control the operation of the atomizer based on the product information transmitted thereto; and The communication interface is connected to the control component and configured to enable wireless communication.

12. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The communication interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote computing device to control the atomizer.

13. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The product information includes fragrance information, and the atomizer is controlled to provide an optimal temperature for a specific fragrance, the optimal temperature being the temperature at which the specific fragrance is provided in an inhalable state.

14. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The control component is also configured to control at least one other functional element of the aerosol delivery device.

15. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, It also includes the user interface.

16. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The user interface is a remote user interface, and the communication interface is configured to enable wireless communication from user input to the control entity.

17. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The barrel housing is configured to be movably connected to the control housing.

18. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that, It also includes an actuator that operatively engages with the barrel housing, the actuator being configured to move the barrel housing relative to the control body between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration.

19. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that, It also includes an electrical connector configured to electrically connect the barrel housing to the control body, wherein the barrel housing is configured to be movably connected to the control body via an electrical connector coupled to the actuator.

Images