Aerosol delivery device with consumable cartridge

Abstract

To provide a smoking article that is easy to use and that provides reusable components.SOLUTION: The present disclosure is directed to an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for use with the aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may comprise a holder, and a cartridge comprising an outer housing, a heat portion comprising a heat source, and a substrate portion comprising a substrate material including an aerosol precursor composition. The outer housing may comprise a heat end and a substrate end, where at least one of the ends of the outer housing includes at least one opening, and where the cartridge is configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder. Some implementations may include an intermediate housing, where the heat portion and the substrate portion are contained within the intermediate housing. Other implementations may include an inner housing, where an inner chamber is defined within the inner housing and an outer chamber is defined between the inner and outer housings.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 515,637, filed on July 18, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Consumable Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and systems, such as smoking articles, and more specifically to aerosol delivery devices and systems that utilize a heat source, such as a combustible carbonaceous ignition source, for the generation of an aerosol (e.g., a heating system or an electronic cigarette, a smoking article for obtaining components of tobacco, tobacco extracts, nicotine, synthetic nicotine, non-nicotine flavorants, and other materials in an inhalable form). The components of such articles are made from or derived from tobacco, or these articles can be characterized by incorporating tobacco in other ways for human consumption, and can vaporize the components of tobacco and / or other tobacco-related materials to form an inhalable aerosol for human consumption.

Background Art

[0003] Over the years, many smoking articles have been proposed as improved or alternative to combustion-based smoking products. Exemplary alternatives include devices where a solid or liquid fuel is burned to transfer heat to tobacco, or devices where a chemical reaction is used to provide such a heat source. Examples include the smoking articles described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0004] The gist of improved or alternative smoking articles has typically been to provide the sensations associated with smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe without delivering significant amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. For this purpose, many smoking products, aroma generators and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material or to provide the smoking sensation of a cigarette, cigar or pipe without significantly burning the tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat sources described in the background art of Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320, incorporated herein by reference, as well as Griffith, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 and Sears et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781. Also see, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and electrical heat sources referenced by trademark name and commercial suppliers described in Bless et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0220232, incorporated herein by reference. Additional types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and electrical heat sources referenced by trademark name and commercial suppliers are also described in DePiano et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245659, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Other representative cigarette or smoking articles that are described and in some cases commercially available include those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874, U.S. Patent No. 4,947,875, U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 to White, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 to Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 to Nichols, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi, U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., 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 No. 2006 / 0196518 to Hon, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0126745, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0188490, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0272379 to Thorens et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260641 to Monsees et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260642 to Monsees et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008 / 0149118 to Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0024834 to Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 to Wang, and International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 to Hon, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0005] A variety of styles and methods have been proposed for assembling smoking articles having a plurality of sequentially arranged segmented components. See, for example, the various types of assembly techniques and methods described in U.S. Patent No. 5,469,871 to Barnes et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Crooks et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0186757 to Crooks et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0042885 to Stone et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 00673620 to Conner et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0006] Certain types of paper-wrapped cigarettes that use a carbonaceous fuel element are commercially available from the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company under the trade names "Premier", "Eclipse", and "Revo". See, for example, the types of paper-wrapped cigarettes described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988) and Inhalation Toxicology, 12:5, pages 1-58 (2000). Further, in Japan, paper-wrapped cigarettes are sold by Japan Tobacco Inc. under the product name "Steam Hot One".

[0007] In some cases, some smoking articles, particularly those using conventional roll paper materials, tend to burn the roll paper material covering the ignitable fuel source due to the high temperatures achieved by a fuel source in proximity to the roll paper material. This can potentially reduce the enjoyment of the smoking experience for some consumers and may mask or undesirably alter the flavor delivered to the consumer by the aerosol delivery components of the smoking article. In a further example, conventional smoking articles can potentially generate relatively significant levels of gases such as carbon monoxide and / or carbon dioxide (e.g., as products of carbon combustion) during use. In yet another example, conventional smoking articles can be subject to the effects of insufficient performance with respect to aerosolizing aerosol-forming components.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

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Patent Document 1

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Non-Patent Document

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Non-Patent Document 1

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Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide a smoking article that addresses one or more of the technical problems sometimes associated with conventional smoking articles. In particular, it may be desirable to provide a smoking article that is easy to use and has reusable components.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for use with the aerosol delivery device. The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary embodiments.

[0012] Exemplary Embodiment 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising a holder and a cartridge comprising a rigid outer housing, a heat portion comprising a heat source configured to generate heat, and a substrate portion comprising a substrate material comprising an aerosol precursor composition, wherein the outer housing comprises a heat end and a substrate end, at least one of the ends of the outer housing comprises at least one opening, and the cartridge is configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder.

[0013] Exemplary Embodiment 2: The aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the outer housing of the cartridge has a generally cylindrical shape.

[0014] Exemplary Embodiment 3: The aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source comprises a carbon-based heat source.

[0015] Exemplary Embodiment 4: The aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco flakes, reconstituted tobacco material pieces, tobacco rods, or non-tobacco materials.

[0016] Exemplary Embodiment 5: The heat portion and the substrate portion are housed within the outer housing of the cartridge, and the cartridge further comprises a barrier disposed between the heat portion and the substrate portion, an aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0017] Exemplary Embodiment 6: At least one opening of the outer housing of the cartridge comprises a pair of elongated slots, and the elongated slots are disposed at the substrate end of the outer housing, an aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0018] Exemplary Embodiment 7: The barrier comprises a porous barrier wall, and the porous barrier wall includes a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings disposed therethrough, an aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0019] Exemplary Embodiment 8: The barrier comprises a substantially non-porous barrier wall, an aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0020] Exemplary Embodiment 9: Further comprising at least one opening defined circumferentially around at least a portion of the outer housing proximate to the barrier and the substrate portion, and the at least one opening is configured to receive an air flow in response to suction by a user, an aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or an aerosol delivery device of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0021] Exemplary Embodiment 10: A cartridge for use with a holder of an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising an outer housing, an intermediate housing, a heat portion comprising a heat source configured to generate heat, and a substrate portion comprising a substrate material containing an aerosol precursor composition, the outer housing having a heat end and a substrate end, at least one of the ends of the outer housing including at least one opening, the heat portion and the substrate portion being housed within the intermediate housing, the cartridge being configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder.

[0022] Exemplary Embodiment 11: The intermediate housing includes a mesh housing, the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or the cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0023] Exemplary Embodiment 12: The outer housing is configured to surround at least a portion of the intermediate housing, at least one end of the intermediate housing including at least one opening, the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or the cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0024] Exemplary Embodiment 13: At least one opening of the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots, the elongated slots being disposed at the substrate end of the outer housing, at least one opening of the intermediate housing comprising a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings, the plurality of cylindrical openings being disposed at the heat end of the intermediate housing, the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or the cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0025] Exemplary Embodiment 14: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or the cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, further comprising a barrier disposed between the heat portion and the substrate portion.

[0026] Exemplary Embodiment 15: The barrier comprises a porous barrier, and the porous barrier includes a wall through which a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings are disposed, of the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0027] Exemplary Embodiment 16: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, further comprising at least one opening circumferentially defined around at least a portion of the outer housing proximate to the barrier and the substrate portion.

[0028] Exemplary Embodiment 17: The barrier comprises a non-porous barrier, and the non-porous barrier includes a wall, of the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0029] Exemplary Embodiment 18: The at least one opening of the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots, of the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0030] Exemplary Embodiment 19: The opposing ends of the housing include at least one opening, of the cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0031] Exemplary Embodiment 20: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, further comprising at least one opening circumferentially defined around at least a portion of the outer housing proximate to the substrate portion.

[0032] Exemplary Embodiment 21: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening at one end of the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots, and at least one opening at the opposite end of the outer housing comprises a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings.

[0033] Exemplary Embodiment 22: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, further comprising a second barrier disposed proximate the downstream end of the substrate material and a collection chamber defined between the second barrier and the substrate end of the outer housing.

[0034] Exemplary Embodiment 23: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second barriers comprise porous barriers.

[0035] Exemplary Embodiment 24: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein the first porous barrier comprises a barrier wall through which a pair of elongated slots are disposed, and the second porous barrier comprises a barrier wall through which a pair of elongated slots are disposed.

[0036] Exemplary Embodiment 25: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein the barrier comprises a porous barrier, and the porous barrier includes a barrier wall having a central opening and a plurality of peripheral openings.

[0037] Exemplary Embodiment 26: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing includes a pair of elongated slots, and the elongated slots are disposed at the substrate end of the outer housing.

[0038] Exemplary Embodiment 27: The outer housing includes a plurality of circumferentially arranged openings around at least a portion of the outer housing, and the plurality of peripheral openings of the barrier wall are substantially aligned with the plurality of circumferential openings of the outer housing. A cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0039] Exemplary Embodiment 28: A cartridge for use with a holder of an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising an outer housing, a heat portion comprising a heat source configured to generate heat, and a base material portion comprising a base material containing an aerosol precursor composition, and an inner housing defined within the outer housing. At least one of the ends of the outer housing includes at least one opening, an inner chamber is defined within the inner housing, an outer chamber is defined between the inner housing and the outer housing, and the cartridge is configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder.

[0040] Exemplary Embodiment 29: The inner housing has a generally cylindrical shape, and the outer housing has a generally cylindrical shape. A cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0041] Exemplary Embodiment 30: The inner chamber comprises the heat portion, and the outer chamber comprises the base material portion. A cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0042] Exemplary Embodiment 31: The inner chamber comprises the base material portion, and the outer chamber comprises the heat portion. A cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0043] Exemplary Embodiment 32: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots.

[0044] Exemplary Embodiment 33: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing comprises a plurality of radial openings.

[0045] Exemplary Embodiment 34: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots and a plurality of radial openings.

[0046] Exemplary Embodiment 35: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening is defined at opposite ends of the outer housing.

[0047] Exemplary Embodiment 36: The cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, or a cartridge of any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one opening at opposite ends of the outer housing comprises a plurality of radial openings.

[0048] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention encompasses any combination of two, three, four, or more of the above-described embodiments, as well as any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements described in the present disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The present disclosure is to be read as a whole such that, in any of its various aspects and embodiments, any separable feature or element of the disclosed invention appears to be combinable as intended, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0049] The present disclosure has been described in the foregoing general terms and will now refer to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0050]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to its exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described so that the present disclosure is thorough and complete and conveys the full scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure meets the legal requirements applicable. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0052] The present disclosure provides an article (and its assembly and / or manufacture) in which a material is heated (preferably without significantly combusting the material) to form an aerosol and / or an inhalable substance. Most preferably, such an article is small enough to be considered a "portable" device. In a preferred embodiment, the article is characterized as a smoking article. As used herein, the term "smoking article" refers to an article and / or device that provides much of the sensation of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., form of inhalation and exhalation, type of taste or flavor, sensory stimulation effect, physical feel, form of use, visual stimulation provided by the visible aerosol, etc.) without substantially combusting any component of the article and / or device. As used herein, the term "smoking article" does not necessarily mean that, during operation, the article or device generates smoke in the sense of an aerosol resulting from the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather that the article or device generates a vapor (including vapor within an aerosol that may be considered to be visible and described as smoky) resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components, elements, etc. of the article and / or device. In a preferred embodiment, an article or device characterized as a smoking article incorporates tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components.

[0053] As described above, the aerosol generation components of certain preferred aerosol delivery devices can provide the various sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation patterns, types of taste or flavor, sensory stimulation effects, physical feel, usage form, visual stimulation as provided by the visible aerosol, etc.) associated with smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, which is used by igniting and burning the tobacco (and thus, by inhaling the tobacco smoke) without substantially burning any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can hold and use its components and inhale from one end of the component to inhale the aerosol generated by the component, smoke at selected time intervals, etc., in the same manner as a smoker uses a conventional smoking article.

[0054] The articles or devices of the present disclosure are also characterized as being vapor generating articles, aerosol delivery articles, or drug delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can be configured to provide one or more substances in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance can be in a substantially vapor form (e.g., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance can be in the form of an aerosol (e.g., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For clarity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases, and aerosols in a form or type suitable for human inhalation, regardless of whether they are visible or can be perceived as smoky. In some embodiments, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" may be used interchangeably. Thus, for simplicity, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" used to describe the present disclosure are understood to be interchangeable unless otherwise specified.

[0055] The smoking articles of the present disclosure, when in use, are subject to many of the physical actions of an individual when using conventional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars or pipes that are used by being ignited by a flame and subsequently smoked and / or burned by inhaling tobacco that is burned). For example, a user of a smoking article of the present disclosure holds the article as with a conventional smoking article, sucks on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, and smokes at selected time intervals.

[0056] The systems are generally described herein with respect to embodiments related to smoking articles such as so-called "tobacco heating products", but it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features and methods may be embodied in many different forms and associated with a variety of articles. For example, the descriptions provided herein may be used in combination with embodiments of related packagings for conventional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), heated tobacco, and the products disclosed herein. Accordingly, it should be understood that the descriptions of the mechanisms, components, features and methods disclosed herein are discussed only as examples with respect to embodiments related to aerosol delivery devices and may be embodied and used in a variety of other products and methods.

[0057] The smoking articles of the present disclosure generally include a number of elements provided or housed within various types of enclosures such as housings, outer wraps or packages, casings, components, modules, members, etc. The overall design of the enclosure is variable, and the form or configuration of the enclosure that defines the overall size and shape of the smoking article is also variable. In some, but not all, embodiments, the overall design, size and / or shape of the enclosure resembles that of a conventional cigarette or cigar. Typically, an enclosure resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar includes separable components, members, etc. that are engaged to form the enclosure. For example, in some aspects, such a smoking article may include separable components including a holder and a cartridge including an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a base material, etc.) and a heat source component. In various aspects, the heat source generates heat to aerosolize a base material, for example, an extrusion structure and / or a base material in the form of a solid or liquid (e.g., beads, sheets, shreds, wraps), a base material combined with an aerosol precursor composition, tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials, e.g., materials naturally found in tobacco directly separated from tobacco, or synthetically prepared materials, etc. In some embodiments, the extrusion structure may include a tobacco product or a composite of tobacco and other materials, such as ceramic powder. In other embodiments, a tobacco extract / slurry may be carried on porous ceramic beads. Other embodiments may use non-tobacco products. In some embodiments, porous beads / powders (ceramics) carrying an aerosol precursor composition may be used. In other embodiments, rods / cylinders made from an extrusion slurry of ceramic powder and an aerosol precursor composition may also be used.

[0058] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, it may be advantageous to provide a smoking article that provides easy-to-use and reusable components. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of such a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a smoking article 100 that includes a removable cartridge 102 and a holder 104. The holder 104 includes a body portion 120 and a mouthpiece portion 122 disposed at the inhalation end of the holder 104. In various embodiments of the holder, the structure and method for receiving the removable cartridge of the present disclosure may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 102 is configured to be removably received longitudinally within a cavity 106 defined on the receiving end of the body portion 120 of the holder 104. Some examples of one or more holders that may be used with the removable cartridge of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 035,103, filed Jul. 13, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Detachable Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0059] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the removable cartridge 102 of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 102 includes a heat portion 108 including a heat source 109, a substrate portion 110 including a substrate material 116 (see FIG. 3), and an outer housing 112 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 109 and the substrate material 116. In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 102 and the holder 104 have an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but in various other embodiments, either or both of these components (and / or any of their sub-components, e.g., the body portion and / or the mouthpiece portion, the holder, and / or the heat source, the outer housing, and / or the substrate material of the cartridge) may have different shapes. It should be noted that, for example, in some embodiments, either or both of the holder or the cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, e.g., a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, either or both of the holder or the cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have other handheld shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the holder may have a small box shape, various pod mod shapes, or a fob shape.

[0060] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 109 has a substantially cylindrical shape and includes a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, e.g., a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are mainly composed of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0061] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon such as graphite or graphene can be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-mentioned components, etc. In still other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may include one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, or n-butane. In still other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a heat source based on a chemical reaction, and the ignition of the heat source includes the interaction of two or more individual components. For example, a heat source based on a chemical reaction may comprise a metal agent and an activating solution, and the heat source is activated when the metal agent contacts the activating solution. Some examples of heat sources based on chemistry can be found in U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Combinations of heat sources are also possible. The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 109 has a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, it may be about 17 mm, and an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, it may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0062] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 109 is extruded or formulated using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and has a density of about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, and in many cases about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, and frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0063] In various embodiments, the heat source may have various forms, including, for example, a generally solid cylindrical or hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) shape, but the heat source 109 of the illustrated embodiment comprises an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material having a generally cylindrical shape that includes a plurality of internal passages 114 extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source 109 to an opposite second end of the heat source 109. In the illustrated embodiment, there are about 13 internal passages 114 including a single central internal passage 114a, six peripheral internal passages 114b spaced from the central internal passage 114a and having a size (e.g., diameter) similar to that of the central internal passage 114a, and six peripheral internal passages 114c spaced from the outer surface of the heat source 109 and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the central internal passage 114a. Note that in other embodiments, a plurality of internal passages need not be present and / or the plurality of internal passages may take other forms and / or sizes. For example, in some embodiments, there may be only two internal passages, and in yet other embodiments, there may be only one internal passage. Still other embodiments may not include any internal passages at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of internal passages that are not equal in diameter and / or shape, are unevenly spaced, and / or are arranged within the heat source.

[0064] Although not shown in the figures, some embodiments may alternatively or additionally include one or more circumferential grooves that extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end. However, in other embodiments, the grooves need not extend over the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, such grooves may have a width and depth that are substantially equal and may be substantially equally distributed around the circumference of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not include any grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of grooves that may have unequal widths and / or depths and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include flutes and / or slits that extend longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to its opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may include a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0065] Generally, the heat source is disposed in sufficient proximity to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are rewordable such that references to release, releasing, releases, or released include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercially available electronic cigarettes such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of elements of various smoking articles is understood.

[0066] Figure 3 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 102 of FIG. 1. As shown in the figure, the base material 116 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other, and the heat source 109 is disposed adjacent to the first end of the base material 116. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge may vary according to the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 102 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 112 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 116 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, for example, a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, in order to correspond to the thickness of the housing 112.

[0067] In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 110 comprises a base material 116 having a single segment, but in other embodiments, the base portion may include one or more additional base material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article 100 may further comprise a second base material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition coupled thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco base material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components and / or additives for use with a single base material (and / or multiple base materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any base material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the base material 116 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0068] Referring also to FIG. 1, ignition of the heat source 109 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 116. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion 122 is configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion 122 by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion 122 may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion 122. In various embodiments, the filter is provided in some embodiments as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion 122, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the holder 104 of the smoking article 100. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing a space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavoring materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed on May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed on March 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed on March 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0069] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the smoking article 100 of the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 116 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may include a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0070] In one embodiment, for example, the base material may include a blend of flavorful aromatic tobacco in cut filler form. In another embodiment, the base material may include a reconstituted tobacco material as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,889,143 to Pryor et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 to Raker, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, the reconstituted tobacco material may include a reconstituted tobacco paper for a cigarette of the type described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. For example, the reconstituted tobacco material may include a sheet-like material containing tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials. Thus, in some embodiments, the base material may be formed from a rolled roll of reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the base material may be formed from shredded pieces, flakes, etc. of the reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the tobacco sheet may include a superimposed layer (e.g., a gather web) that may or may not include a heat conductive component. An example of a base portion including a series of superimposed layers (e.g., a gather web) of an initial base sheet formed by a fibrous filler material, an aerosol-forming material, and a plurality of heat conductive components is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 905,320, filed February 26, 2018, entitled "Heat Conducting Substrate For Electrically Heated Aerosol Delivery Device", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0071] In some embodiments, the base material may include a plurality of microcapsules, beads, granules, etc. having tobacco-related materials. For example, typical microcapsules may have a substantially spherical shape and may have an outer cover or shell having a liquid central region such as a tobacco-derived extract. In some embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include a plurality of microcapsules each formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include a binder material configured to maintain the structural shape and / or integrity of a plurality of microcapsules formed in a hollow cylindrical shape.

[0072] The tobacco used in one or more of the base materials may include, or may be derived from, tobacco such as Virginia tobacco, Burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark air-cured tobacco and Rustica tobacco, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Various representative types of tobacco, types of tobacco processing, and types of tobacco blends are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930 to Gentry, U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,730,832 to Dominguez et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,011,096 to Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,017,585 to Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0255965 to Perfetti et al., PCT Publication No. 02 / 37990 to Bereman, and Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, p. 11-17 (1997), the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0073] In still other embodiments of the present disclosure, the base material may include, or consist essentially of, an extruded structure that includes tobacco, tobacco-related materials, glycerin, water, and / or a binder material, although certain formulations may not include a binder material. In various embodiments, suitable binder materials may include alginates such as ammonium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, potassium alginate, and sodium alginate. Alginates, particularly high-viscosity alginates, can be used in combination with a controlled level of free calcium ions. Other suitable binder materials include hydroxypropylcellulose such as Klucel H manufactured by Aqualon Co.; hydroxypropylmethylcellulose such as Methocel K4MS manufactured by The Dow Chemical Co.; hydroxyethylcellulose such as Natrosol 250 MRCS manufactured by Aqualon Co.; microcrystalline cellulose such as Avicel manufactured by FMC; methylcellulose such as Methocel A4M manufactured by The Dow Chemical Co.; and sodium carboxymethylcellulose such as CMC 7HF and CMC 7H4F manufactured by Hercules Inc. Still other possible binder materials include starch (e.g., corn starch), guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, pectin, and xanthan gum. In some embodiments, a combination or blend of two or more binder materials may be used. Other examples of binder materials are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al. and U.S. Patent No. 4,924,887 to Raker et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be provided as part of a binder material (e.g., propylene glycol alginate). Further, in some embodiments, the binder material may include nanocellulose derived from tobacco or other biomass.

[0074] In some embodiments, the base material may include an extruded material as described in Stone et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0042885, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In yet another embodiment, the base material may include an extruded structure and / or a substrate formed from marumerized and / or unmarumerized tobacco. Marumerized tobacco is known, for example, by Banerjee et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,105,831, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The marumerized tobacco, in combination with the binders and / or flavorants described herein, includes about 20 to about 50 percent (by weight) of a tobacco blend in powder form, along with glycerol (about 20 to about 30 weight percent), calcium carbonate (generally about 10 to about 60 weight percent, often about 40 to about 60 weight percent). In various embodiments, the extruded material may have one or more longitudinal openings.

[0075] In various embodiments, the base material may take on various structures based on the various amounts of materials utilized therein. For example, a sample base material may include up to about 98 weight percent, up to about 95 weight percent, or up to about 90 weight percent of tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials. The sample base material may also include up to about 25 weight percent, about 20 weight percent, or about 15 weight percent of water, particularly about 2 weight percent to about 25 weight percent, about 5 weight percent to about 20 weight percent, or about 7 weight percent to about 15 weight percent of water. Flavors and the like (e.g., including agents such as nicotine) may include up to about 10 weight percent, up to about 8 weight percent, or up to about 5 weight percent of the aerosol delivery component.

[0076] Additionally or alternatively, the base material may include or consist essentially of an extruded structure and / or a substrate containing tobacco, glycerin, water, and / or binder material, and is further configured to substantially maintain its structure throughout the aerosol generation process. That is, the base material may be configured to substantially maintain its shape throughout the aerosol generation process (e.g., the base material does not continuously deform under the applied shear stress). Such exemplary base materials may include liquids and / or some water content, but the substrate may remain substantially solid throughout the aerosol generation process and may substantially maintain its structural integrity throughout the aerosol generation process. Exemplary tobaccos and / or tobacco-related materials suitable for substantially solid base materials are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0157052 to Ademe et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0335070 to Sears et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,204,287 to White, and U.S. Patent No. 5,060,676 to Hearn et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0077] In some embodiments, the amount of base material used within the smoking article may be an amount such that the article exhibits acceptable sensory and sensory irritation characteristics, as well as desirable performance characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition, such as glycerin and / or propylene glycol, may be used within the base material to produce a visible mainstream aerosol that resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke in many respects. For example, the amount of aerosol precursor composition incorporated into the base material of the smoking article may range from about 3.5 grams or less, about 3 grams or less, about 2.5 grams or less, about 2 grams or less, about 1.5 grams or less, about 1 gram or less, or about 0.5 grams or less.

[0078] According to another embodiment, the smoking article according to the present disclosure may include a base material including a porous inert material such as, for example, a ceramic material. For example, in some embodiments, ceramics of various shapes and outer forms (e.g., beads, rods, tubes, etc.) having various pore morphologies may be used. Further, in some embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as an aerosol precursor composition may be supported on the ceramic. In another embodiment, the base material may include a porous inert material that does not substantially react chemically and / or physically with a tobacco-related material such as, for example, a tobacco-derived extract. Further, extruded tobacco such as the above may be porous. For example, in some embodiments, the extruded tobacco material may have an inert gas such as nitrogen that functions as a foaming agent during the extrusion process.

[0079] As described above, in various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a humectant such as propylene glycol, glycerin, etc.) and / or at least one flavorant, and a flame retardant / combustion retardant (e.g., diammonium phosphate and / or another salt) configured to assist in preventing ignition, pyrolysis, combustion, and / or charring of the base material by a heat source. The tobacco, tobacco components, and / or tobacco-derived materials may be treated, manufactured, produced, and / or processed to incorporate the tobacco, tobacco components, and / or tobacco-derived materials. Various modes and methods for incorporating tobacco into a smoking article, particularly smoking articles designed so as not to intentionally combust substantially any tobacco within the smoking article, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Cantrell et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215167 to Crooks et al., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0080] As described above, in some embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include flame retardant / combustion retardant materials and other additives that may include organic phosphorus compounds, borax, hydrated alumina, graphite, potassium tripolyphosphate, dipentaerythritol, pentaerythritol, and polyols. Other materials such as nitrogen phosphonates, monoammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium bromide, ammonium borate, ammonium ethanol borate, ammonium sulfamate, halogenated organic compounds, thiourea, and antimony oxide are also suitable but not preferred agents. In each aspect of the flame retardant materials, combustion retardant materials, and / or charring retardant materials used in the base materials and / or other components (regardless of whether alone, or in combination with each other and / or with other materials), the desirable properties are most preferably provided without undesirable gas evolution or melt-type behavior.

[0081] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the base material may also incorporate tobacco additives of the types conventionally used in the manufacture of tobacco products. These additives may include materials of the types used to enhance the flavor and aroma of tobacco used in the manufacture of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, etc. For example, these additives may include various cigarette flavoring components and / or top layer components. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 3,419,015 to Wochnowski, U.S. Patent No. 4,054,145 to Berndt et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,887,619 to Burcham, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,022,416 to Watson, U.S. Patent No. 5,103,842 to Strang et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,711,320 to Martin, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Preferred flavoring materials may include water, sugars and syrups (e.g., sucrose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol), and flavoring agents (e.g., cocoa and licorice). These additional components may also include top layer materials (e.g., flavorant materials such as menthol). See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,449,541 to Mays et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional materials that may be added include those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,830,028 to Lawson et al. and U.S. Patent No. 8,186,360 to Marshall et al., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0082] In some embodiments, the base material may comprise a liquid comprising an aerosol precursor composition and / or a gel comprising an aerosol precursor composition. Some examples of liquid compositions can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 171,920, filed October 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Visible Indicator", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0083] As described above, in various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may have an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain one or more different components such as a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof). Representative additional types of aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al., PCT International Publication No. 98 / 57556 to Biggs et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some aspects, the base material can produce a visible aerosol when sufficient heat is applied (and cooled by air as needed), and the base material can produce a "smoky" aerosol. In other aspects, the base material can produce an aerosol that is substantially invisible but can be recognized as present by other characteristics such as flavor or texture. Thus, the nature of the aerosol produced may be variable depending on the particular components of the aerosol delivery component. The aerosol can be chemically simpler compared to the chemical nature of the smoke produced by burning tobacco.

[0084] In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may incorporate nicotine, which may be present at various concentrations. The source of nicotine may be various, and the nicotine incorporated into the aerosol precursor composition may be derived from a single source or a combination of two or more sources. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain tobacco-derived nicotine. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain nicotine derived from other organic plant sources, such as non-tobacco plant sources including, for example, plants of the Solanaceae family. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain synthetic nicotine. In some embodiments, the nicotine incorporated into the aerosol precursor composition may be derived from non-tobacco plant sources, such as other members of the Solanaceae family. The aerosol precursor composition may additionally or alternatively contain other active ingredients including, but not limited to, plant components (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca, and tisane), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) and / or pharmaceutical ingredients, nutraceutical ingredients, and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins, such as B6, B12, and C, and cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

[0085] A wide variety of types of flavorants or materials that change the sensory or sensory-stimulating characteristics or properties of the mainstream aerosol of a smoking article may be suitable for use. In some embodiments, such flavorants may be provided from sources other than tobacco and may be of natural or artificial nature. For example, some flavorants may be applied to or incorporated into a substrate material and / or the area of the smoking article where the aerosol is generated. In some embodiments, such agents may be supplied directly to a heating cavity or area proximate to a heat source or provided with the substrate material. Exemplary flavorants can include, for example, vanilla, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruits (such as the flavors of apples, cherries, strawberries, peaches, and citrus including limes and lemons), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, patchouli, jasmine, cascarilla, cocoa, licorice, as well as flavorants and flavor packages of the types and characteristics conventionally used in the flavoring of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobaccos. Syrups such as high fructose corn syrup may also be suitable for use.

[0086] The flavorant may also include acidic or basic properties (e.g., organic acids such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid). In some embodiments, the flavorant may be combined, optionally, with elements of the substrate material. Exemplary plant-derived compositions that may be suitable are disclosed in both U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 to Dube et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0152265, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Any of the materials such as flavorings, flavorings, etc., which may be useful in combination with the tobacco material to affect its sensory properties, including the sensory stimulating properties as described herein, may be combined with the substrate material. In particular, it may be possible to incorporate an organic acid into the substrate material and affect the flavor, sensory, or sensory stimulating properties of an agent such as nicotine that can be combined with the substrate material. For example, organic acids such as levulinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid may be included in the substrate material together with nicotine in an amount up to equimolar (based on the total organic acid content) with the nicotine. Any combination of organic acids may be suitable. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate material has a total amount of organic acid present in a concentration that is equimolar with the total amount of nicotine present in the substrate material, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid per mole of nicotine, or a combination thereof. Various additional examples of organic acids used to produce the substrate material are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0344456 to Dull et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0087] The selection of such additional ingredients may be variable based on factors such as the sensory characteristics desired in the smoking article, and the present disclosure is intended to include any such additional ingredients that would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related products or tobacco-derived products. See Gutcho's Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972) and Leffingwell et al.'s Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972), the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0088] In other embodiments, the base material may include other materials having various unique features or properties. For example, the base material may include a plasticized material or regenerated cellulose in the form of rayon. As another example, viscose, a regenerated cellulose product incorporating silica (commercially available as VISIL(R)), may be suitable. Some carbon fibers may include at least 95 percent or more carbon. Similarly, natural cellulose fibers such as cotton may be suitable, and natural cellulose fibers such as cotton may be infused with silica, carbon, or metal particles, or treated with silica, carbon, or metal particles to enhance flame retardant properties and, in particular, minimize the release of any undesirable gas emission components that would otherwise negatively affect the flavor (in particular, minimizing the potential for any harmful gas emission products). To provide the desired flame retardant properties by dipping, spraying, or other techniques known in the art, for example, cotton can be treated with boric acid or various organophosphate compounds. These fibers may also be treated with organic or metal nanoparticles (e.g., by coating, injecting, or both, by dipping, spraying, or vapor deposition) to impart the desired flame retardant properties without accompanying undesirable gas emissions or melt-type behavior.

[0089] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 116 may comprise an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and the cross-section of the substrate material 116 may be symmetric with respect to the axis in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material 116 may be substantially circular such that the substrate material 116 defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the substrate material may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the substrate material may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0090] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cartridge 102 of the illustrated embodiment also includes an outer housing 112 configured to surround at least a portion of a substrate portion 110 that includes the substrate material 116. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 112 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 109. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 112 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, the outer housing 112 may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may include a housing that includes a laminate comprising a heat source and a beaded substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0091] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 112 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 116. However, as described above, in other embodiments, the outer housing 112 may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing 112 may be changed, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 112 comprises a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 112 also includes one or more end openings 118 disposed on the closed end of the outer housing 112 and configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 118 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated rounded slots, but in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 118 can comprise fewer or additional openings and / or alternative shapes and sizes of openings than those illustrated.

[0092] FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 4B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 4A. In particular, FIGS. 4A and 4B show a perspective view of a removable cartridge 202. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 202 comprises a heat portion 208 including a heat source 209, a base portion 210 including a base material 216 (see FIG. 5), and an outer housing 212 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 209 and the base material 216.

[0093] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 202 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but in various other embodiments, the cartridge, or any of its sub-components, e.g., the heat source, the outer housing, and / or the base material of the cartridge, etc.) may have different shapes. It should be noted that, for example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, e.g., a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0094] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon its ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 209 has a substantially grooved cylindrical shape and includes a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, e.g., a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are mainly composed of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0095] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may be different from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon such as graphite or graphene may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-mentioned components, etc. In yet other embodiments, the heat source may include a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may include one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, or n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0096] The heat source 209 of the illustrated embodiment has a generally cylindrical shape that includes a plurality of circumferential grooves 224 defined through the generally cylindrical shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 224 extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end, although in other embodiments, the grooves need not extend the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, the grooves may have a width and depth that are substantially equal and may be distributed substantially equally around the circumference of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not include any grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of grooves that do not have equal width and / or depth and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include flutes and / or slits that extend longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to an opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may include a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Thus, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source is co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0097] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 209 has a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments about 7 mm).

[0098] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 209 is extruded or formulated using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and has a density of about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0099] Generally, the heat source is disposed sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are interchangeable such that references to releasing, releasing, releases, or released include forming or generating, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercially available electronic smoking products such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various smoking product elements is understood.

[0100] FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 202 of FIGS. 4A and 4B. As shown in the figure, the base material 216 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other, and the heat source 209 is disposed adjacent to the first end of the base material 216. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge may vary according to the requirements of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 202 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 212 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 216 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm, and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, for example, a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing 212.

[0101] In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 210 comprises a base material 216 having a single segment, but in other embodiments, the base portion may include one or more additional base material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further include a second base material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco base material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components and / or additives for use with a single base material (and / or plural base materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any base material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the base material 216 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0102] Ignition of the heat source 209 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition bonded to the substrate material 216. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide flavor additives. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant addition materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0103] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 216 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may include a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0104] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0105] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 216 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and the cross-section of the substrate material 216 may be symmetric with respect to the axis in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material may be substantially circular such that the substrate material defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the substrate material may include an asymmetric cross-section around the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the substrate material may be axially aligned with an adjacent element. As will be described in further detail below, in this embodiment, and in any other embodiment described herein, one or more barriers may be present between the heat source and the substrate material.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 5, the outer housing 212 is configured to surround at least a portion of the base portion 210 that includes the base material 216. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 212 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 209. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 212 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, the outer housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the base material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may include a housing that includes a laminate including a heat source and a beaded base material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0107] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 212 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 216. However, as described above, in other embodiments, the outer housing 212 may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing may be changed, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 212 comprises a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 212 also includes one or more end openings 218 (see FIG. 4B) disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 212 and configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 218 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated rounded slots. However, in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 218 can comprise fewer or additional openings and / or alternative shapes and sizes of openings than those illustrated.

[0108] FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 6B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 6A. In particular, FIGS. 6A and 6B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 302. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 302 generally includes a heat portion 308 comprising a heat source 309 (shown transparently in the figure for illustration purposes), a base portion 310 including a base material 316 (see FIG. 7), and an outer housing 312 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 309 and the base material 316.

[0109] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 302 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but in various other embodiments, the cartridge 302, or any of its sub-components, such as, for example, the heat source 309, the outer housing 312, and / or the base material 316 of the cartridge 302, etc.) may have different shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as, for example, a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0110] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon its ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 309 has a substantially grooved cylindrical shape and comprises a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as, for example, a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are composed primarily of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0111] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon, such as graphite or graphene, can be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, etc. In still other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may comprise one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0112] As described above, the heat source 309 of the illustrated embodiment has a generally cylindrical shape that includes a plurality of circumferential grooves 324 defined through the generally cylindrical shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 324 extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end, but in other embodiments, the grooves need not extend the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, the grooves may have a width and depth that are substantially equal and may be distributed substantially equally around the circumference of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not include any grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of grooves where the width and / or depth are not equal and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include flutes and / or slits that extend longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to an opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may include a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Thus, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source is co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, titled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method," which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0113] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 309 has a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0114] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 309 is extruded or formulated using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and has a density of about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0115] Generally, the heat source is disposed in close proximity to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorants, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are rewordable such that references to releasing, releasing, releases, or released include forming or generating, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor, aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercially available electronic smoking products such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various components of the smoking products is understood.

[0116] FIG. 7 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 302 of FIGS. 6A and 6B. As shown in the figure, the substrate material 316 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge may be varied according to the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 302 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 312 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 316 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, e.g., a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing 312.

[0117] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 310 includes a substrate material 316 having a single segment, although in other embodiments, the substrate portion may include one or more additional substrate material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second substrate material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the substrate materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with the single substrate material (and / or multiple substrate materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any substrate material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the substrate material 316 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0118] Ignition of the heat source 309 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition bonded to the substrate material 316. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may include individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include segments that provide filtration, segments that provide draw resistance, hollow segments that provide space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide flavor additives. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including, for example, filter segments that provide different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant materials and / or components configured to add a flavorant can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, titled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0119] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through a smoking article that includes a filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 316 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may include a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in further detail below.

[0120] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0121] In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 316 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 316 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material may be substantially circular such that the base material defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the base material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the base material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the base material may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the base material 116 may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0122] In the illustrated embodiment, there is a barrier 328 between the second end of the heat source 309 and the first end of the substrate material 316. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 328 separates the heat source 309 from the substrate material 316. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 328 comprises the same material as the outer housing 312, although in other embodiments the barrier may comprise a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may comprise different metallic materials, ceramic materials, plastic materials, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a plurality of beaded aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In yet other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a glass material having one or more layers. In some embodiments, in addition to, or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. Examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed Mar. 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0123] In various embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the barrier may comprise one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, barrier 328 comprises a porous barrier wall that includes a plurality of generally cylindrical openings 330 disposed therethrough. In other embodiments, the barrier openings may have different shapes and sizes (even within the same barrier), but the plurality of openings disposed through the barrier wall of the illustrated embodiment have substantially the same size and shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of openings 330 form a substantially random pattern within barrier 328, but in other embodiments, the plurality of openings may form a pattern or may have random and patterned portions.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 7, outer housing 312 is configured to surround at least a portion of substrate portion 310 that includes substrate material 316. In the illustrated embodiment, outer housing 312 is also configured to surround at least a portion of heat source 309. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing includes a rigid material. For example, outer housing 312 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, the outer housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing that includes a laminate that includes a heat source and a bead-like substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed Oct. 30, 2018, and titled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0125] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 312 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 316. However, as described above, in other embodiments, the outer housing may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing may be varied, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 312 comprises a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 312 also includes one or more end openings 318 (see FIG. 6B) disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 312 and configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 318 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated rounded slots. However, in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 318 can include fewer or additional openings and / or openings of alternative shapes and sizes than those illustrated.

[0126] FIG. 8A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 8B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 8A. In particular, FIGS. 8A and 8B show a perspective view of a removable cartridge 402. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 402 generally includes a heat portion 408 that includes a heat source 409, a substrate portion 410 that includes a substrate material 416, and an outer housing 412. The outer housing 412 of the illustrated embodiment includes an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 412 also includes one or more end openings 418 disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 412 configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 418 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated rounded slots, although in other embodiments the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. As will be described in further detail below, the illustrated embodiment has a closed end and an open end and further includes an intermediate housing 440 (see FIGS. 9A and 9B) that includes a heat portion 408 with a heat source 409 and a substrate portion 410 with a substrate material 416. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 418 can comprise fewer or additional openings and / or alternative shapes and sizes of openings than those shown.

[0127] FIG. 9A shows a perspective view of the cartridge of FIG. 8A with the outer housing removed, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 9B shows an inverted perspective view of a portion of the cartridge of FIG. 9A. In particular, FIGS. 9A and 9B show an intermediate housing 440 that includes a heat portion 408 with a heat source 409 and a substrate portion 410 with a substrate material 416 (see FIG. 10). In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate housing 440 includes a closed end 432 and an open end, and the closed end 432 is substantially porous and includes a plurality of openings 434 defined therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, although other embodiments may vary, the plurality of openings 434 are substantially randomly distributed across the closed end. In other embodiments, the plurality of openings may form a pattern or may have random and patterned portions. Further, the plurality of openings 434 of the illustrated embodiment comprise a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings. In other embodiments, the openings may have different shapes and sizes (even within the same intermediate housing), but the plurality of openings 434 of the illustrated embodiment have substantially the same size and shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 412 is configured to surround the intermediate housing 440 such that when assembled, the respective closed ends of the intermediate housing 440 and the outer housing 412 are disposed at opposite ends of the cartridge 402. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate housing 440 comprises a mesh housing, although in other embodiments the intermediate housing may have other configurations.

[0128] In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 409 comprises a plurality of ignitable objects, such as a plurality of ignitable beads, for example. In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a single element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material, such as a combustible fuel element, for example. In some embodiments, the fuel element may have a shape that substantially conforms to the shape of the hot portion of the intermediate housing (e.g., in some embodiments, a generally cylindrical shape), but in other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are composed primarily of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of greater than about 60 percent, generally greater than about 70 percent, often greater than about 80 percent, and frequently greater than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0129] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavorants; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source is coextruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0130] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 409 has a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0131] In various embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways. For example, in some embodiments, the heat source may be extruded or compounded using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material, and has a density of about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0132] Generally, the heat source is disposed sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are interchangeable such that references to release, releasing, releases, or released include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor, an aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercial e-cigarette products such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various e-cigarette elements is understood.

[0133] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 402 has an overall generally cylindrical shape, although in various other embodiments, either the cartridge or any of its sub-components may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a generally rectangular shape, e.g., a generally rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0134] FIG. 10 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 402 of FIGS. 9A and 9B. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge 402 may vary depending on the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 402 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 412 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 116 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, for example, a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing 312.

[0135] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 410 comprises a substrate material 416 having a single segment, but in other embodiments, the substrate portion may include one or more additional substrate material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second substrate material segment (not shown) having first and second ends opposite one another. In various embodiments, one or more of the substrate materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with the single substrate material (and / or plurality of substrate materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any substrate material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the substrate material 416 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0136] Ignition of the heat source 409 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 416. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant addition materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0137] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 416 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may include a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0138] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0139] In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 416 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and the cross-section of the base material 416 may be symmetric with respect to the axis in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material may be substantially circular such that the base material defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the base material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the base material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the base material may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the base material may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0140] In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 428 separates the heat source 409 from the substrate material 416. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 428 comprises the same material as the intermediate housing 440, although in other embodiments the barrier may comprise a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may comprise different metallic materials, ceramic materials, plastic materials, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In yet other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. Examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0141] In various embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the barrier may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, barrier 428 comprises a substantially porous barrier wall that includes a plurality of generally cylindrical openings 435 disposed through the substantially porous barrier wall. In other embodiments, the barrier openings may have different shapes and sizes (even within the same barrier), although the plurality of openings disposed through the barrier wall of the illustrated embodiment have substantially the same size and shape. While other embodiments may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of openings 435 are distributed substantially randomly across barrier 435. In other embodiments, the plurality of openings may form a pattern or may have random and patterned portions.

[0142] As shown in FIG. 10, the outer housing 412 of the illustrated embodiment is configured to surround an intermediate housing 440 that includes a heat portion 408 with a heat source 409 and a substrate portion 410 with a substrate material 416. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 412 includes a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 412 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, although in other embodiments, the outer housing 412 may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may include a housing that houses a laminate including a heat source and a bead-like substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0143] In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate housing 440 may also comprise a rigid material that is the same material as the outer housing 412 (e.g., aluminum in the illustrated embodiment). In other embodiments, the outer housing and / or the intermediate housing may be made of different materials. In various embodiments, the intermediate housing may be made of other metal materials (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing that houses a laminate comprising a heat source and a bead-like substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed on October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0144] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 412 and the intermediate housing 440 are constructed as a tube structure, but as described above, in other embodiments, the outer housing and / or the intermediate housing may have other shapes.

[0145] FIG. 11A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 11B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 11A. In particular, FIGS. 11A and 11B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 502. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 502 generally includes a heat portion 508 that includes a heat source (not shown for illustration purposes), a substrate portion 510 that includes a substrate material 516, and an outer housing 512 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and the substrate material 516.

[0146] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 512 is disposed proximate to the substrate portion 510 and includes at least one opening 530 defined circumferentially around at least a portion of the outer housing 512. In particular, the illustrated embodiment defines a series of substantially equally spaced openings 530 that pass through the outer housing 512 and are disposed over the entire circumference of the outer housing 512. In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 530 are defined on the substrate portion side of the outer housing 512, proximate to the barrier 528 (see FIG. 12 described below). In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 530 may be configured to allow air to be drawn into the cartridge 502 through the substrate material 516. Thus, the air drawn through the openings 530 may be mixed with the generated aerosol. In various embodiments, such openings may allow the heat source to be separated from the substrate material by a substantially non-porous barrier. Thus, the drawn air may not flow through the heat source. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, a substantially porous barrier may also be used.

[0147] The openings 530 of the illustrated embodiment have a generally cylindrical shape, but in other embodiments, the openings may have any shape. In the illustrated embodiment, there are approximately 14 openings, but in other embodiments, any number of openings, including as few as one, may be present, and in the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of openings have substantially the same size and shape, but in other embodiments, the openings may have different shapes and / or sizes.

[0148] It should be noted that in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 502 has an overall generally cylindrical shape, but in various other embodiments, either the cartridge or any of its sub-components may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a generally rectangular shape, such as a generally rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of them sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0149] In various embodiments, the heat source can be configured to generate heat upon ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source can have a generally cylindrical shape and include a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source can have a different shape, such as a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are mainly composed of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0150] In some cases, the heat source can incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavorants; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source can include a plurality of ignitable objects, such as a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source can be different from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon, such as graphite or graphene, can be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source can have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, etc. In still other embodiments, the heat source can include a non-carbon heat source, such as a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas can include one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0151] In some embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of circumferential grooves defined therethrough. In some embodiments, the grooves may extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end, although in other embodiments, the grooves need not extend over the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, the grooves may have a width and depth that are substantially equal and may be distributed substantially equally around the circumference of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not include any grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of grooves that may have unequal widths and / or depths and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include flutes and / or slits that extend longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to an opposite second end thereof. In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time taken to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0152] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0153] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may be extruded or compounded using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and may have a density of about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0154] Generally, the heat source is disposed sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable component is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are rephrasable such that references to release, releasing, releases, or released include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercial electronic smoking products such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of elements of various smoking products is understood.

[0155] FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 502 of FIGS. 11A and 11B. As shown in the figure, the substrate portion 510 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge 502 may vary depending on the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 502 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 512 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 516 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, for example, a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing 512.

[0156] As shown in the figure, the outer housing 512 is configured to surround at least a portion of the substrate portion 510 that includes the substrate material 516. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 512 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 512 comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 512 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, the outer housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing that includes a laminate comprising a heat source and a beaded substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0157] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 512 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 516. However, as noted above, in other embodiments, the outer housing 512 may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing 512 may be varied, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 312 includes a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 512 also includes one or more end openings 518 (see FIG. 11B) disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 512 and configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 518 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated rounded slots, but in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 518 can comprise fewer or additional openings and / or alternative shapes and sizes of openings than those illustrated.

[0158] In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 510 includes a base material 516 having a single segment, but in other embodiments, the base portion 510 may include one or more additional base material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second base material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco base material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components and / or additives for use with a single base material (and / or plural base materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any base material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the base material 516 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0159] Ignition of the heat source in the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 516. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided in some embodiments as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments including, for example, filter segments providing different draw resistance and / or different flavors may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant addition materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, titled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0160] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 516 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may comprise a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0161] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0162] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 516 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and the cross-section of the substrate material 516 may be symmetric with respect to the axis in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material may be substantially circular such that the substrate material defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the substrate material 516 may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the substrate material may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0163] In the illustrated embodiment, there is a barrier 528 between the second end of the heat source and the first end of the substrate material 516. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 528 separates the heat source from the substrate material 516. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 528 includes the same material as the outer housing 512, but in other embodiments, the barrier may include a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may include different metallic materials, ceramic materials, plastic materials, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the barrier may include a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In still other embodiments, the barrier may include a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, in addition to, or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0164] In various embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the barrier may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 528 comprises a substantially solid non-porous barrier wall. Thus, during suction, air enters the substrate material 516 through the plurality of openings 530.

[0165] FIG. 13A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 13B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 13A. In particular, FIGS. 13A and 13B show a perspective view of a removable cartridge 602. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 602 generally includes a thermal portion 608 with a heat source 609, a substrate portion 610 with a substrate material 616, and an outer housing 612 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 609 and the substrate material 616.

[0166] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 612 is disposed proximate to the substrate portion 610 and includes at least one opening 630 defined circumferentially around at least a portion of the outer housing 612. In particular, the illustrated embodiment defines a series of substantially equally spaced openings 630 that pass through the outer housing and are disposed over the entire circumference of the outer housing 612. In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 630 are defined proximate to a barrier 628 on the substrate portion side of the outer housing 612 (see FIG. 14 described below). In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 630 may be configured to allow air to be drawn into the cartridge 602 through the substrate material 616. Thus, the air drawn through the openings 630 can be mixed with the generated aerosol. In various embodiments, such openings may allow the heat source to be separated from the substrate material by a substantially non-porous barrier. Thus, the drawn air may not flow through the heat source. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, a substantially porous barrier may also be used.

[0167] The openings 630 of the illustrated embodiment have a generally cylindrical shape, but in other embodiments, the openings may have any shape. In the illustrated embodiment, there are approximately 14 openings, but in other embodiments, any number of openings, including just one, may be present. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of openings have substantially the same size and shape, but in other embodiments, the openings may have different shapes and / or sizes.

[0168] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 602 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but it should be noted that in various other embodiments, either the cartridge 602 or any of its sub-components may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0169] In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 609 comprises a plurality of ignitable objects, such as a plurality of ignitable beads. In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a single element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material, such as a combustible fuel element. In some embodiments, the fuel element may have a shape that substantially conforms to the shape of the hot portion of the outer housing 612 (e.g., in some embodiments, a substantially cylindrical shape), but in other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are composed primarily of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0170] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon such as graphite or graphene may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, and the like. In still other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may include one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0171] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavorants; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide an advantage with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source is coextruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, or other heat source embodiments as disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0172] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0173] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may be extruded or compounded using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material, and may be about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, and in many cases about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, and frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0174] Generally, the heat source is disposed sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are rephrasable such that references to release, releasing, releases, or released include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercially available electronic smoking articles such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various components of the smoking articles is understood.

[0175] FIG. 14 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 602 of FIGS. 13A and 13B. As shown in the figure, the substrate material 616 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge may vary depending on the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 602 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 612 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 616 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, e.g., a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing.

[0176] As shown in the figure, the outer housing 612 is configured to surround a base portion 610 that includes a base material 616 and a heat portion 608 that includes a heat source 609. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing includes a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 612 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, the outer housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the base material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may include a housing that includes a laminate including a heat source and a bead-like base material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0177] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 612 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 616 and the heat source 609. However, as noted above, in other embodiments, the outer housing may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 612 includes a tube structure having a pair of substantially porous closed ends 632, 636 on opposite sides of each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the end 632 of the outer housing 612 proximate the hot portion 608 comprises a plurality of openings 634 defined therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, although other embodiments may vary, the plurality of openings 634 are substantially randomly distributed across the end 632. Further, although other embodiments may vary, the plurality of openings 634 of the illustrated embodiment include a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings. In other embodiments, the openings may have different shapes and sizes, although the plurality of openings 634 of the illustrated embodiment have substantially the same size and shape.

[0178] In the illustrated embodiment, the opposing end 636 of the outer housing 612 includes one or more end openings 618 (see FIG. 13B) configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 618 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated slots. However, in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 618 can include fewer or additional openings and / or openings of alternative shapes and sizes than those illustrated.

[0179] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 610 includes a substrate material 616 having a single segment, although in other embodiments, the substrate portion may include one or more additional substrate material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second substrate material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the substrate materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials, along with an aerosol precursor composition coupled thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with the single substrate material (and / or multiple substrate materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any substrate material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the substrate material 616 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0180] Ignition of the heat source 609 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 616. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may include individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include segments that provide filtration, segments that provide draw resistance, hollow segments that provide space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide flavor additives. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments that provide different draw resistance and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant addition materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, titled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0181] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter if present. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 616 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may include a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0182] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0183] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 616 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material 616 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material may be substantially circular such that the substrate material defines a generally cylindrical shape extending between its first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may define a generally non-cylindrical shape between its first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the substrate material may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the substrate material may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0184] In the illustrated embodiment, there is a barrier 628 between the second end of the heat source 609 and the first end of the substrate material 616. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 628 separates the heat source 609 from the substrate material 616. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 628 comprises the same material as the outer housing 612, although in other embodiments the barrier may comprise a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may comprise a different metallic material, a ceramic material, a plastic material, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In still other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a glass material having one or more layers. In some embodiments, in addition to, or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0185] In various embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the barrier may comprise one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 628 comprises a substantially solid non-porous barrier wall. Thus, during suction, air enters the substrate material 616 through the plurality of openings 630.

[0186] FIG. 15A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 15B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 15A. In particular, FIGS. 15A and 15B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 702. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 702 generally includes a heat portion 708 that includes a heat source (not shown), a substrate portion 710 that includes a substrate material 716 (see FIG. 16), and an outer housing 712 (shown as transparent for illustration purposes) configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and the substrate material 716.

[0187] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 702 has an overall generally cylindrical shape, but it should be noted that in various other embodiments, the cartridge 702, or any of its sub-components, may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a generally rectangular shape, such as a generally rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge 702 (and / or any of their sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0188] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon its ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source has a generally cylindrical shape and includes a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are mainly composed of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0189] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon such as graphite or graphene can be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, etc. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon its ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may include one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0190] As described above, the heat source of the illustrated embodiment has a generally cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of circumferential grooves defined therethrough. In some embodiments, the grooves may extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end, although in other embodiments, the grooves need not extend the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, the grooves may have a width and depth that are substantially equal and may be distributed substantially equally around the circumference of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not include any grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of grooves that may have unequal widths and / or depths and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include flutes and / or slits that extend longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to an opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, titled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0191] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiments, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0192] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiments, the heat source is extruded or formulated using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and has a density of about 0.5 g / cm 3 over, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 over, frequently about 1 g / cm 3 over. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0193] Generally, the heat source is disposed sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorants, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, emitted, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are interchangeable such that references to releasing, releasing, releases, or released include forming or generating, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercially available electronic smoking products such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of various smoking product elements is understood.

[0194] FIG. 16 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 702 of FIGS. 15A and 15B. As shown in the figure, the substrate portion 710 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge 702 may vary according to the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 702 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 712 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 716 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, for example, a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing 712.

[0195] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 710 comprises a substrate material 716 having a single segment, but in other embodiments, the substrate portion 210 may include one or more additional substrate material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second substrate material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the substrate materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition coupled thereto. In other embodiments, non-tobacco materials such as cellulose pulp materials may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with the single substrate material (and / or plural substrate materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any substrate material (e.g., the substrate material 716 of the illustrated embodiment) that can be used in the smoking articles described herein.

[0196] Ignition of the heat source in the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 716. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate to an end of the holder, opposite the receiving end. Thus, upon suctioning the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing a space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including, for example, filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed Mar. 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed Mar. 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0197] Preferably, the elements of the base material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through a smoking article that includes a filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 716 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the base material may include a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0198] The base material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the base material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0199] In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 716 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 716 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material may be substantially circular such that the base material defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the base material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the base material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the base material 716 may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the base material may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0200] In the illustrated embodiment, a first barrier 728 is present between the second end of the heat source and the first end of the substrate material 716. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 728 separates the heat source from the substrate material 716. In the illustrated embodiment, the first barrier 728 comprises the same material as the outer housing 712, although in other embodiments, the first barrier may comprise a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the first barrier may include different metallic materials, ceramic materials, plastic materials, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the first barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the first barrier may comprise a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum spheres, etc.), glass gems (such as glass spheres, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic spheres, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In yet other embodiments, the first barrier may comprise a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, in addition to, or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0201] In various embodiments, the first barrier 728 may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the first barrier may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the first barrier 728 includes a porous barrier wall including a pair of openings 740 including a pair of elongated slots in the illustrated embodiment, although in other embodiments, the openings of the first barrier may have any shape.

[0202] In the illustrated embodiment, a second barrier 738 is present proximate the downstream end of the substrate material 716. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the second barrier 738 separates the substrate material 716 from the distal end of the cartridge 702. Thus, a cooling chamber 742 is formed between the second barrier 738 and the distal end of the cartridge 702. In some embodiments, the cooling chamber need not contain any material therein and thus can be available for collecting the aerosol. In other embodiments, the cooling chamber may contain one or more components therein. For example, in some embodiments, the cooling chamber 742 may contain one or more filters therein.

[0203] In the illustrated embodiment, the second barrier 738 comprises the same material as the outer housing 712, although in other embodiments, the second barrier may comprise a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the second barrier may comprise a different metallic material, ceramic material, plastic material, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the second barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the second barrier may comprise a plurality of beaded aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In yet other embodiments, the second barrier may comprise a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the substrate material and the cooling chamber. Examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed Mar. 16, 2018, entitled “Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0204] In the illustrated embodiment, the second barrier 738 comprises a porous barrier wall including a pair of openings 744 that, in the illustrated embodiment, include a pair of elongated slots; however, in other embodiments, the openings 744 of the second barrier 728 may have any shape.

[0205] As shown in FIG. 16, the outer housing 712 is configured to surround at least a portion of a substrate portion 710 that includes a substrate material 716. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 712 is also configured to surround at least a portion of a heat source. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 712 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material; however, in other embodiments, the outer housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing that includes a laminate including a heat source and a beaded substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed Oct. 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0206] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 712 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 716. However, as noted above, in other embodiments, the outer housing 712 may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing comprises a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 712 also includes one or more end openings 718 (see FIG. 4B) disposed at the distal end of the outer housing 712 and configured to allow an aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as a "vapor" or an "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 718 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated slots, but in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 718 can include fewer or additional openings and / or openings of alternative shapes and sizes than those shown.

[0207] FIG. 17A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 17B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 17A. In particular, FIGS. 17A and 17B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 802. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 802 generally includes a heat portion 808 that includes a heat source (not shown), a base portion 810 that includes a base material 816 (see FIG. 18), and an outer housing 812 (shown transparent for illustration purposes) configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and the base material 816.

[0208] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 802 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but it should be noted that in various other embodiments, either the cartridge or any of its sub-components may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge 802 (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, e.g., a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge 802 (and / or any of its sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0209] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon its ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a substantially cylindrical shape and comprise a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, e.g., a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are mainly composed of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0210] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon such as graphite or graphene can be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, etc. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon its ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may contain one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0211] In some embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of circumferential grooves defined therethrough. In some embodiments, the grooves may extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end, although in other embodiments, the grooves need not extend over the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, the grooves may have a width and depth that are substantially equal and may be distributed substantially equally around the circumference of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not include any grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include a plurality of grooves that need not have equal widths and / or depths and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include flutes and / or slits that extend longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to an opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time taken to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, titled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0212] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiments, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and may have an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0213] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiments, the heat source may be extruded or formulated using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and may have a density on a dry weight basis of about 0.5 g / cm 3 super, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, frequently about 1 g / cm 3 super. See, for example, the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0214] Generally, the heat source is disposed in close proximity to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorants, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable components is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, emitted, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are convertible such that references to release, releasing, releases, or released include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of vapor or aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercially available electronic smoking products such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various components of the smoking products is understood.

[0215] FIG. 18 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 802 of FIGS. 17A and 17B. As shown in the figure, the substrate material 816 of the illustrated embodiment has first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge may vary according to the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 802 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 812 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 816 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire cartridge, e.g., a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm, to correspond to the thickness of the housing 812.

[0216] As shown in the figure, the outer housing 812 is configured to surround at least a portion of the base portion 810 including the base material 816. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 812 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 812 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, the outer housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the base material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing lacking a laminate comprising a heat source and a bead-like base material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed on October 30, 2018, and entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0217] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 812 is constructed as a tube structure that substantially encapsulates the base material 816. However, as noted above, in other embodiments, the outer housing may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer housing 812 may be changed, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 812 comprises a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer housing 812 also includes one or more end openings 818 (see FIGS. 17A and 17B) disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 812 and configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated slots, but in other embodiments, the end openings 818 may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 818 can include fewer or additional openings and / or alternative shapes and sizes of openings than those illustrated.

[0218] In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 810 comprises a base material 816 having a single segment. However, in other embodiments, the base portion may include one or more additional base material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second base material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco base material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with a single base material (and / or plural base materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any base material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the base material 816 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0219] Ignition of the heat source in the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 816. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may comprise a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing a space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavoring materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, titled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, titled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0220] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 816 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may contain a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0221] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0222] In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 816 may comprise an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and the cross-section of the base material 816 may be symmetric with respect to the axis in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 816 may be substantially circular such that the base material 816 defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the base material 816 may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the base material 816 can define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Otherwise, in other examples, the base material 816 may comprise an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the base material 816 may be axially aligned with an adjacent element.

[0223] In the illustrated embodiment, there is a barrier 828 between the second end of the heat source and the first end of the substrate material 816. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 828 separates the heat source from the substrate material 816. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 828 comprises the same material as the outer housing 812, although in other embodiments the barrier may comprise a material different from the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may comprise a different metallic material, ceramic material, plastic material, and / or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the barrier may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the barrier may include a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In yet other embodiments, the barrier may comprise a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, in addition to, or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0224] In various embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the barrier may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 828 comprises a porous wall including a central opening 840 and a plurality of peripheral openings 842 disposed around the outer perimeter of the barrier 828. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 828 has a curved side surface and a substantially flat side surface. While other configurations are possible, in the illustrated embodiment, the curved side surface of the barrier 828 has a concave shape with respect to the second end of the heat source. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of openings 842 are disposed on the curved side surface of the barrier 828 configured to be close to the heat source. The peripheral openings 842 of the barrier 828 of the illustrated embodiment are substantially equally spaced apart and are disposed around the entire perimeter of the barrier 828. The outer housing 812 of the illustrated embodiment also includes a plurality of openings 830 circumferentially defined around the outer housing 812 and configured to align with the plurality of peripheral openings 842 of the barrier 828. The openings 830, 842 of the illustrated embodiment have a generally cylindrical shape, although in other embodiments, the openings may have any shape. In the illustrated embodiment, there are approximately 14 openings, although in other embodiments, any number of openings, including just one, may be present. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of openings have substantially the same size and shape, although in other embodiments, the openings may have different shapes and / or sizes.

[0225] FIG. 19A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 19B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 19A. In particular, FIGS. 19A and 19B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 902. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 902 generally includes a heat portion 908 including a heat source 909 (see FIG. 20), a substrate portion 910 comprising a substrate material 909 (see FIG. 20), and an outer housing 912.

[0226] While other shapes are possible, the outer housing 912 of the illustrated embodiment has an overall substantially cylindrical shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 902 further includes an inner housing 930 defined within the outer housing 912. While other shapes are possible, the inner housing 930 of the illustrated embodiment also has an overall substantially cylindrical shape disposed generally centrally within the outer housing 902. For example, the inner housing 930 of the illustrated embodiment has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the outer housing 912. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 930 defines an inner chamber within the inner housing 930, and an outer chamber is defined between the outer surface of the inner housing 930 and the inner surface of the outer housing 912. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner chamber includes a substrate portion 910 and includes a substrate material 916, and the outer chamber includes a thermal portion 908 and includes a heat source 909 (see FIG. 20).

[0227] Note that in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 902 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but in various other embodiments, either the cartridge 902 or any of its sub-components may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0228] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon its ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a substantially cylindrical shape and include a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are composed primarily of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of greater than about 60 percent, generally greater than about 70 percent, often greater than about 80 percent, and frequently greater than about 90 percent by dry weight.

[0229] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavoring agents; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a plurality of ignitable objects such as, for example, a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may be different from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon such as graphite or graphene may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, and the like. In yet other embodiments, the heat source may contain a non-carbon heat source such as, for example, a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon its ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may contain one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0230] In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide an advantage with respect to reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0231] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0232] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may be extruded or compounded using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and may have a dry weight basis of about 0.5 g / cm 3 over, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 over, frequently about 1 g / cm3 It has an ultra-high density. For example, refer to the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0233] Generally, the heat source is arranged sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components so that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable component can be delivered to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are interchangeable such that references to releasing, releasing, releases, or released include forming or generating, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor, an aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercial e-cigarettes such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various components of the smoking articles is understood.

[0234] FIG. 20 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 902 of FIGS. 19A and 19B. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge 902 may vary according to the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 902 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 912 and / or the inner housing 930 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 916 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 1 mm to about 18 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the thermal portion 908 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 1 mm to about 20 mm.

[0235] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 912 and the inner housing 930 include a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 912 and the inner housing 930 of the illustrated embodiment are constructed from an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, one or both of the outer housing 912 and / or the inner housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing having a laminate comprising a heat source and a bead-like substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed Oct. 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0236] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 930 of the illustrated embodiment substantially encapsulates the base material 916, and the outer housing 912 (more particularly, the region between the inner housing 930 and the outer housing 912) substantially encapsulates the heat source 909. The outer housing 912 of the illustrated embodiment has an open end and a closed end. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 912 is also configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass through, and includes one or more end openings 918 (see FIG. 19B) disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 912. The end openings 918 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated slots, but in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass through. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 918 can include fewer or additional openings and / or openings of alternative shapes and sizes than those illustrated.

[0237] In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 910 comprises a base material 916 having a single segment, but in other embodiments, the base portion may include one or more additional base material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second base material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco base material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components and / or additives for use with a single base material (and / or plural base materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any base material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the base material 516 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0238] Ignition of the heat source 909 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 916. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may comprise a filter configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder and facing the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including, for example, filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant addition materials and / or components configured to add a flavorant can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0239] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 916 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may comprise a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0240] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate materials described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0241] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 916 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material 916 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 909 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the heat source 909 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section of the substrate material 916 may be substantially circular such that the substrate material 916 defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Further, the cross-section of the heat source 909 of the illustrated embodiment may be substantially ring-shaped such that the heat source 909 defines a substantially tubular shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other, and the heat source may define a substantially non-ring-shaped cross-section such that the heat source may define a substantially non-tubular shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. In yet other embodiments, one or both of the substrate material and / or the heat source may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis.

[0242] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 930 functions as a barrier between the heat source 909 and the substrate material 916. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 930 separates the heat source 909 from the substrate material 916. As noted above, the inner housing 930 of the illustrated embodiment comprises the same material as the outer housing 912, although in other embodiments, the inner housing may comprise a different material than the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the inner housing may comprise a different metallic material, ceramic material, plastic material, and / or any combination thereof. Generally, for example, in some embodiments, the inner housing may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the inner housing may contain a plurality of bead-like aluminum pieces (such as aluminum balls, etc.), glass gems (such as glass balls, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic balls, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In still other embodiments, the inner housing may contain a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. Examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, and titled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0243] In various embodiments, the inner housing may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the inner housing may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 930 comprises a substantially solid non-porous barrier.

[0244] FIG. 21A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 21B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 21A. In particular, FIGS. 21A and 21B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 1002. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 1002 generally includes a heat portion 1008 including a heat source 1009 (see FIG. 22), a substrate portion 1010 including a substrate material 1016 (see FIG. 22), and an outer housing 1012.

[0245] Although other shapes are possible, the outer housing 1012 of the illustrated embodiment has an overall substantially cylindrical shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 1002 further includes an inner housing 1030 defined within the outer housing 1012. For example, the inner housing 1030 of the illustrated embodiment has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the outer housing 1012. Although other shapes are possible, the inner housing 1030 of the illustrated embodiment also has an overall substantially cylindrical shape disposed generally centrally within the outer housing 1002. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1030 defines an inner chamber within the inner housing 1030, and an outer chamber is defined between the outer surface of the inner housing 1030 and the inner surface of the outer housing 1012. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner chamber includes the heat portion 1008 and includes the heat source 1009, and the outer chamber includes the substrate portion 1010 and includes the substrate material 1016.

[0246] Note that in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 1002 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but in various other embodiments, the cartridge, or any of its sub-components, may have other shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0247] In various embodiments, the heat source can be configured to generate heat upon ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a generally cylindrical shape and include a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are composed primarily of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0248] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavorants; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may include a plurality of ignitable objects, such as a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon, such as graphite or graphene, may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, a blend of any of the above-described components, and the like. In still other embodiments, the heat source may include a non-carbon heat source, such as a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may include one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0249] In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide advantages with respect to reducing the time taken to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source is co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, titled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0250] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0251] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may be extruded or compounded using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and may have a dry weight basis of about 0.5 g / cm 3 sup, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 sup, frequently about 1 g / cm 3It has an ultra-high density. For example, refer to the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0252] Generally, the heat source is arranged sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components so that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable component can be delivered to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are interchangeable such that references to releasing, releasing, releases, or released include forming or generating, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor, an aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercial e-cigarettes such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various components of the smoking articles is understood.

[0253] FIG. 22 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 1002 of FIGS. 21A and 21B. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge 1002 may vary according to the needs of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 1002 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1012 and / or the inner housing 1030 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 1016 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 1 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 909 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 1 mm to about 18 mm.

[0254] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1012 and the inner housing 1030 comprise a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 1012 and the inner housing 1030 of the illustrated embodiment are composed of an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, one or both of the outer housing and / or the inner housing may be constructed from other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a housing containing a laminate including a heat source and a bead-like substrate material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed Oct. 30, 2018, and entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0255] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1030 substantially encapsulates the heat source 1009, and the outer housing 1012 (more particularly, the region between the inner housing 1030 and the outer housing 1012) substantially encapsulates the base material 1016. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1012 has an open end and a closed end. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1012 also includes one or more end openings 1018 (see FIG. 21B) disposed at the closed end of the outer housing 1012 and configured to allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The end openings 1018 of the illustrated embodiment are in the form of a series of radially cylindrical openings that penetrate the closed end of the outer housing 1012, although in other embodiments, the end openings may have any form that allows the aerosol to pass therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that the end openings 1018 can have fewer or additional openings and / or alternative shapes and sizes of openings than those illustrated.

[0256] In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 1010 comprises a base material 1016 having a single segment, although in other embodiments, the base portion may include one or more additional base material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second base material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials together with an aerosol precursor composition bound thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco base material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with the single base material (and / or plural base materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the following description should be applicable to any base material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the base material 1016 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0257] Ignition of the heat source 1009 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 1016. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may comprise a filter, and the filter is configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder, facing the receiving end, in some aspects. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing a space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments providing different draw resistance and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed Mar. 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed Mar. 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0258] Preferably, the elements of the base material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are entrained in the air drawn into the user's mouth through the smoking article, including the filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 916 contains a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the base material may contain a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0259] The base material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the base material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0260] In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 1016 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 1016 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 1009 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the heat source 1009 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section of the heat source 1009 may be substantially circular such that the heat source 1009 defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. Further, the cross-section of the base material 1016 in the illustrated embodiment may be substantially ring-shaped such that the base material 1016 defines a substantially tubular shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the heat source may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the heat source can define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other, and the base material may define a substantially non-ring-shaped cross-section such that the base material can define a substantially non-tubular shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. In still other embodiments, one or both of the base material and / or the heat source may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis.

[0261] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1030 functions as a barrier between the heat source 1009 and the substrate material 1016. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1030 separates the heat source 1009 from the substrate material 1016. As noted above, the inner housing 1030 of the illustrated embodiment contains the same material as the outer housing 1012, but in other embodiments, the inner housing may contain a different material than the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the inner housing may contain a different metallic material, ceramic material, plastic material, and / or any combination thereof. Generally, for example, in some embodiments, the inner housing may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the inner housing may include a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum spheres, etc.), glass gems (such as glass spheres, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic spheres, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In still other embodiments, the inner housing may include a glass material having one or more layers. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, and entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0262] In various embodiments, the inner housing may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the inner housing may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 930 comprises a substantially solid non-porous barrier.

[0263] FIG. 23A shows a perspective view of a removable cartridge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 23B shows a reverse perspective view of the removable cartridge of FIG. 23A. In particular, FIGS. 23A and 23B show perspective views of a removable cartridge 1102. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 1102 generally includes a heat portion 1108 including a heat source 1109 (see FIG. 24), a substrate portion 1110 including a substrate material 1116 (see FIG. 24), and an outer housing 1112.

[0264] While other shapes are possible, the outer housing 1112 of the illustrated embodiment has an overall substantially cylindrical shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 1102 further includes an inner housing 1130 defined within the outer housing 1112. For example, the inner housing 1130 of the illustrated embodiment has an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of the outer housing 1112. While other shapes are possible, the inner housing 1130 of the illustrated embodiment also has an overall substantially cylindrical shape disposed generally centrally within the outer housing 1102. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1130 defines an inner chamber within the inner housing 1130, and the outer chamber is defined between the outer surface of the inner housing 1130 and the inner surface of the outer housing 1112. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner chamber includes the heat portion 1108 and also includes the heat source 1109, and the outer chamber includes the substrate portion 1110 and also includes the substrate material 1116.

[0265] In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 1102 has an overall substantially cylindrical shape, but it should be noted that in various other embodiments, the cartridge, or any of its sub-components, e.g., the heat source, the outer housing, and / or the substrate material of the cartridge, etc.) may have different shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of its sub-components) may have an overall substantially rectangular shape, e.g., an overall substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have other shapes.

[0266] In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a generally cylindrical shape and include a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, e.g., a prism shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. The carbonaceous material generally has a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are mainly composed of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60 percent, generally more than about 70 percent, often more than about 80 percent, and frequently more than about 90 percent on a dry weight basis.

[0267] In some cases, the heat source may incorporate elements other than the combustible carbonaceous material (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavorants; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources such as ammonium salts; and / or binders such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may contain a plurality of ignitable objects, such as a plurality of ignitable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ from the above in terms of composition or relative content. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon, such as graphite or graphene, may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have an increased level of activated carbon, carbon of various porosities, various amounts of carbon, blends of any of the above-described components, etc. In yet other embodiments, the heat source may contain a non-carbon heat source, such as a combustible liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may contain one or more of petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, and n-butane. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

[0268] In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, some embodiments may provide an advantage with respect to reducing the time taken to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with a layer of insulation (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, or other heat source embodiments such as those disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further examples of heat sources, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources that include a debossing heat source system are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0269] The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 17 mm, and an overall diameter in the inclusive range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0270] In other embodiments, the heat source may be constructed in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source may be extruded or compounded using a pulverized or powdered carbonaceous material and may be about 0.5 g / cm on a dry weight basis 3 super, often about 0.7 g / cm 3 super, frequently about 1 g / cm3 It has an ultra-high density. For example, refer to the fuel source components, formulations, and types of designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0271] Generally, the heat source is positioned sufficiently close to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more aerosolizable components such that an aerosol (and any flavorings, medicaments, etc. similarly provided for delivery to the user) formed / volatilized by the application of heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable component is deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are interchangeable such that references to releasing, releasing, releases, or released include forming or generating, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor, an aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Further, considering commercial e-cigarettes such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure, the selection of the various cigarette components is understood.

[0272] FIG. 24 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cartridge 1102 of FIGS. 23A and 23B. The dimensions of the various components of the cartridge 1102 may vary depending on the requirements of a particular application, but in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 1102 may have an overall length in the inclusive range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1012 and / or the inner housing 1030 may have a thickness in the inclusive range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 1116 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 1 mm to about 20 mm. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 909 may have a length in the inclusive range of about 5 mm to 50 mm, and a diameter in the inclusive range of about 1 mm to about 18 mm.

[0273] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1112 and the inner housing 1130 include a rigid material. For example, the outer housing 1112 and the inner housing 1130 of the illustrated embodiment are composed of an aluminum material, but in other embodiments, one or both of the outer housing and / or the inner housing may be composed of other metallic materials (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or other materials including any combination thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and / or at least a portion of the base material may be surrounded by a paper foil laminate. In some embodiments, the cartridge may include a housing that includes a laminate including a heat source and a bead-shaped base material. Some examples of laminates and / or housings that may be applicable to the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 174,846, filed on October 30, 2018, and entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0274] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1130 substantially encapsulates the heat source 1109, and the outer housing 1112 (more particularly, the region between the inner housing 1130 and the outer housing 1112) substantially encapsulates the base material 1116. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 1112 includes a pair of closed ends that are both substantially porous. In particular, one end of the outer housing 1112 of the illustrated embodiment includes a plurality of radial openings 1134 and a pair of elongated slots 1135, and the opposing end includes a plurality of radial openings. In the illustrated embodiment, the radial openings 1134 are configured to allow air flow to enter the base material 1116, such as during suction, and allow aerosolized vapor (also referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass to the opening 1118. The elongated slots 1135 are configured to allow ignition of the heat source 1109 and provide sufficient passage to air to maintain combustion. In other embodiments, any of the openings 1134, 1135, and / or 1118 may have a configuration different from that shown, including more or fewer openings, and / or openings of different sizes and shapes. It should be noted, therefore, that the end opening 1118 can comprise fewer or additional openings and / or openings of alternative shapes and sizes than those shown.

[0275] In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 1110 comprises a substrate material 1116 having a single segment, although in other embodiments, the substrate portion may include one or more additional substrate material segments. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article may further comprise a second substrate material segment (not shown) having first and second ends on opposite sides of each other. In various embodiments, one or more of the substrate materials may include tobacco or tobacco-related materials, along with an aerosol precursor composition coupled thereto. In other embodiments, a non-tobacco material such as a cellulose pulp material may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and / or additives for use with the single substrate material (and / or multiple substrate materials) are described in further detail below. It should be noted that the subsequent description should be applicable to any substrate material that can be used in the smoking articles described herein (e.g., the substrate material 1116 of the illustrated embodiment).

[0276] Ignition of the heat source 1109 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition coupled to the substrate material 1116. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion or holder may be configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may comprise a filter, and the filter is configured to receive the aerosol therethrough in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece portion. In various embodiments, the filter is provided, in some aspects, as a circular disk disposed radially and / or longitudinally proximate an end of the holder, opposite the receiving end. Thus, upon suction of the mouthpiece portion, the filter may receive the aerosol flowing through the smoking article holder. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise individual segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment providing filtration, a segment providing draw resistance, a hollow segment providing space for the aerosol to cool, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter segments that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter segments, including filter segments providing different draw resistances and / or different flavors, may be replaceable to customize the user experience with the device.Some examples of flavorant addition materials and / or ingredients configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled "Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device", U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 935,105, filed March 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 353,556, filed March 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0277] Preferably, the elements of the substrate material do not significantly thermally decompose (e.g., carbonize, char, or burn), and the aerosolized components are incorporated into the air drawn into the user's mouth through a smoking article including a filter (if present). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 916 contains a plurality of tobacco beads formed together in a generally cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may contain a variety of different compositions and combinations thereof, as will be described in more detail below.

[0278] The substrate material of the illustrated embodiment may have many of the same properties as the substrate material described above. Accordingly, reference is made to the appropriate description of these properties (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated here.

[0279] In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 1116 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 1116 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 1109 may include an axis extending in a longitudinal direction defined centrally between a first end and a second end on opposite sides of each other, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the heat source 1109 may be symmetric with respect to the axis. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section of the heat source 1109 may be substantially circular such that the heat source 1109 defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section of the base material 1116 may be substantially ring-shaped such that the base material 1116 defines a substantially tubular shape extending between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. However, in other embodiments, the heat source may define a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the heat source can define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other, and the base material may define a substantially non-ring-shaped cross-section such that the base material can define a substantially non-tubular shape between its first end and second end on opposite sides of each other. In yet other embodiments, one or both of the base material and / or the heat source may include an asymmetric cross-section about the axis.

[0280] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1130 functions as a barrier between the heat source 1109 and the substrate material 1116. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1130 separates the heat source 1109 of the hot portion 1108 from the substrate material 1116 of the substrate portion 1110. As noted above, the inner housing 1130 of the illustrated embodiment contains the same material as the outer housing 1112, although in other embodiments, the inner housing may contain a different material than the outer housing. For example, in some embodiments, the inner housing may contain a different metallic material, ceramic material, plastic material, and / or any combination thereof. Generally, for example, in some embodiments, the inner housing may be constructed from a metallic material (such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze, etc.), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the inner housing may include a plurality of bead-shaped aluminum pieces (such as aluminum spheres, etc.), glass gems (such as glass spheres, etc.), ceramic pieces (such as ceramic spheres, etc.), and / or any combination thereof. In yet other embodiments, the inner housing may include a glass material including one or more layers. In some embodiments, in addition to, or alternatively, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source and the substrate material. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, and titled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0281] In various embodiments, the inner housing may be substantially porous or substantially non-porous. In other embodiments, the inner housing may include one or more substantially porous portions and one or more substantially non-porous portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner housing 1130 comprises a substantially solid non-porous barrier.

[0282] Smoking articles according to the present disclosure can take various embodiments as will be described in detail herein, but the use of the smoking articles by consumers is the same in terms of the scope of application. The above description of the use of the smoking articles is applicable to the various embodiments described, through minor modifications that will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. However, the description of the use is not intended to limit the use of the articles of the invention, but is provided to meet all the necessary requirements of the disclosure herein.

[0283] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the cartridge and the holder may generally be provided together as a complete aerosol delivery device, but these components may be provided separately. For example, the present disclosure also includes disposable units for use with a reusable unit. In certain embodiments, such disposable units (which may be cartridges as shown in the accompanying figures) may be configured to engage with a reusable unit (which may be a holder as shown in the accompanying figures). In yet other configurations, the cartridge may comprise a reusable unit and the holder may comprise a disposable unit.

[0284] Although some of the figures described herein show the cartridge and the holder in an operational relationship, it is understood that the cartridge and the holder may exist as separate components. Thus, any description provided herein with respect to the combined components should be understood as being applicable to the holder and the cartridge as individual and separate components.

[0285] In another aspect, the present disclosure may be directed to a kit that provides various components described herein. For example, the kit may include a holder having one or more cartridges. In a further embodiment, the kit may include a plurality of cartridges. The kit of the present invention may further include a case (or other packaging, transportation, or storage component) that houses one or more of the additional kit components. The case may be a reusable hard container or a soft container. Further, the case may be simply a box or other packaging structure.

[0286] Having the benefit of the teachings shown in the foregoing description and the associated drawings, many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will come to mind to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein and that 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. An aerosol delivery device, the aerosol delivery device comprising: a holder; a cartridge, the cartridge comprising: a rigid outer housing; a heat portion comprising a heat source configured to generate heat; a substrate portion comprising a substrate material containing an aerosol precursor composition; and the outer housing having a heat end and a substrate end, at least one of the ends of the outer housing including at least one opening, the cartridge being configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder. An aerosol delivery device.

2. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing of the cartridge has a substantially cylindrical shape.

3. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the heat source comprises a carbon-based heat source.

4. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco flakes, reconstituted tobacco material pieces, tobacco rods, or non-tobacco materials.

5. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the heat portion and the substrate portion are housed within the outer housing of the cartridge, the cartridge further comprising a barrier disposed between the heat portion and the substrate portion.

6. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 5, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing of the cartridge comprises a pair of elongated slots, the elongated slots being disposed at the substrate end of the outer housing.

7. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the barrier comprises a porous barrier wall, the porous barrier wall including a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings disposed therethrough.

8. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the barrier comprises a substantially non-porous barrier wall.

9. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 8, further comprising at least one opening defined circumferentially around at least a portion of the outer housing proximate the barrier and the substrate portion, the at least one opening being configured to receive an air flow in response to suction by a user.

10. A cartridge for use with a holder of an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising: an outer housing; an intermediate housing; a heat portion comprising a heat source configured to generate heat; a substrate portion comprising a substrate material containing an aerosol precursor composition; and The outer housing has a hot end and a base end, at least one of the ends of the outer housing includes at least one opening, the hot portion and the base portion are housed within an intermediate housing, and the cartridge is configured to be removable and replaceable within a holder.

11. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate housing includes a mesh housing.

12. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the outer housing is configured to surround at least a portion of the intermediate housing, and at least one end of the intermediate housing includes at least one opening.

13. The cartridge according to claim 12, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing includes a pair of elongated slots, the elongated slots are disposed at the base end of the outer housing, and at least one opening of the intermediate housing includes a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings, and the plurality of cylindrical openings are disposed at the hot end of the intermediate housing.

14. The cartridge according to claim 10, further comprising a barrier disposed between the hot portion and the base portion.

15. The cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the barrier includes a porous barrier, and the porous barrier includes a wall through which a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings are disposed.

16. The cartridge according to claim 14, further comprising at least one opening defined circumferentially around at least a portion of the outer housing proximate to the barrier and the base portion.

17. The cartridge according to claim 16, wherein the barrier includes a non-porous barrier, and the non-porous barrier includes a wall.

18. The cartridge according to claim 16, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing includes a pair of elongated slots.

19. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the opposing ends of the housing include at least one opening.

20. The cartridge according to claim 19, further comprising at least one opening defined circumferentially around at least a portion of the outer housing proximate to the base portion.

21. The cartridge according to claim 19, wherein at least one opening at one end of the outer housing includes a pair of elongated slots, and at least one opening at the opposing end of the outer housing includes a plurality of substantially cylindrical openings.

22. The cartridge according to claim 7, further comprising a second barrier disposed proximate to the downstream end of the base material, and a collection chamber defined between the second barrier and the base material end of the outer housing.

23. The cartridge according to claim 22, wherein the first and second barriers comprise porous barriers.

24. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the first porous barrier comprises a barrier wall through which a pair of elongated slots are disposed, and the second porous barrier comprises a barrier wall through which a pair of elongated slots are disposed.

25. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the barrier comprises a porous barrier, and the porous barrier includes a barrier wall having a central opening and a plurality of peripheral openings.

26. The cartridge according to claim 25, wherein at least one opening of the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots, and the elongated slots are disposed at the base material end of the outer housing.

27. The cartridge according to claim 25, wherein the outer housing includes a plurality of openings circumferentially disposed around at least a portion of the outer housing, and the plurality of peripheral openings of the barrier wall are substantially aligned with the plurality of circumferential openings of the outer housing.

28. A cartridge for use with a holder of an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising: an outer housing; a heat portion comprising a heat source configured to generate heat; a base material portion comprising a base material containing an aerosol precursor composition; an inner housing defined within the outer housing; and is configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder. At least one of the ends of the outer housing includes at least one opening, an inner chamber is defined within the inner housing, an outer chamber is defined between the inner housing and the outer housing, and the cartridge is configured to be removable and replaceable within the holder.

29. The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the inner housing has a generally cylindrical shape and the outer housing has a generally cylindrical shape.

30. The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the inner chamber comprises the heat portion and the outer chamber comprises the base material portion.

31. The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the inner chamber comprises the base material portion and the outer chamber comprises the heat portion.

32. The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein at least one opening in the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots.

33. The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein at least one opening in the outer housing comprises a plurality of radial openings.

34. The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein at least one opening in the outer housing comprises a pair of elongated slots and a plurality of radial openings.

35. The cartridge according to claim 34, wherein at least one opening is defined at opposite ends of the outer housing.

36. The cartridge according to claim 35, wherein at least one opening at opposite ends of the outer housing comprises a plurality of radial openings.

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