No-heat, no-burn smoking article

Abstract

To provide an aerosol delivery device that includes at least one housing, a nozzle and a control component.SOLUTION: A housing of an aerosol delivery device encloses a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition. A nozzle 220 is coupled to the housing to discharge the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir, and the nozzle includes a piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material 336 surrounding a mesh 338. A control component 208 includes a microprocessor 330 coupled to drive the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material to vibrate and cause a discharge of components of the aerosol precursor composition through the mesh and thereby produce an aerosol for inhalation by a user, where the components of the aerosol precursor composition discharged through the mesh have a diameter of less than one micrometer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article that generates an aerosol. The smoking article may be configured to dispense an aerosol precursor, which may incorporate materials that can be manufactured from or extracted from tobacco, or alternatively may incorporate tobacco, and the precursor is capable of forming an inhalable substance for human consumption.

Background Art

[0002] Over the years, many devices have been proposed as improved or alternative smoking products that require burning tobacco for use. Many of these devices are said to be designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion products and pyrolysis products resulting from the burning of tobacco. For this purpose, numerous alternative smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that vaporize volatile substances, utilize electrical energy to heat, or attempt to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without burning the tobacco to a significant extent. Reference is made to the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art of U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith Jr et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096782 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 222,615 filed on July 28, 2016, to Watson et al., all of which patents are incorporated herein by reference. Reference is also made to the various implementations of products and heating configurations described in the background art sections of U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 to Counts et al. and U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 to Robinson et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional examples of smoking articles are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,388,574 to Ingebrethsen, European Patent Application Publication No. 1,618,803 to Hon, International Patent Application Publication WO2012 / 062600 to Andersson et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0128974 to Hon, all of which patents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] However, it may be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device with an improved electronic device that can extend the usefulness of the device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Patent Document 7

Patent Document 8

Patent Document 9

Patent Document 10

Patent Document 11

Patent Document 12

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. The present disclosure includes, without limitation, examples of the following exemplary implementations.

[0006] Exemplary Implementation 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising: at least one housing surrounding a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition; a nozzle coupled to the housing for discharging the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir and including a piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material surrounding a mesh; and a control component including a microprocessor coupled and configured to drive the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material to vibrate, causing components of the aerosol precursor composition to be discharged through the mesh, thereby generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user, wherein the components of the precursor composition are discharged through a mesh having a diameter of less than 1 micrometer.

[0007] Exemplary Implementation 2: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the preceding exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary implementations, wherein the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonance frequency of up to 400 megahertz.

[0008] Exemplary Implementation 3: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the preceding exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary implementations, wherein the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonance frequency of 1,000 kilohertz and the mesh is a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device.

[0009] Exemplary Implementation 4: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the preceding exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary implementations, wherein the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonance frequency of 130 kilohertz and the mesh is a stainless steel mesh.

[0010] Exemplary Implementation 5: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the preceding exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary implementations, wherein the mesh has a curved surface.

[0011] Exemplary Implementation 6: A rechargeable battery configured to generate a voltage output and having a nominal voltage between 3.7 and 4.1 volts, further comprising a power source, and the control component further includes a boost regulator configured to raise the voltage output of the power source to a higher voltage between the power source and an electrical load including a piezoelectric material or a piezomagnetic material, and the microprocessor is configured to drive the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material, which includes driving the boost regulator to output a higher voltage in order to supply power to the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material to cause vibration. An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations.

[0012] Exemplary Implementation 7: The control component further includes an electronic oscillator coupled to and between the microprocessor and the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material, and the microprocessor is configured to drive the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material, which includes driving the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal in order to drive the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material at its resonant frequency. An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations.

[0013] Exemplary Implementation 8: The microprocessor is configured to output a pulse signal having a programmable duty cycle in order to drive the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal. An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations.

[0014] Exemplary Implementation 9: The microprocessor is configured to control the electronic oscillator in order to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal having a frequency of 1,000 kilohertz corresponding to the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material. An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations.

[0015] Exemplary implementation 10: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material is a piezoelectric material, and the electronic oscillator is configured to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal for electrically coupling to the piezoelectric material and driving the piezoelectric material to vibrate.

[0016] Exemplary implementation 11: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material is a piezomagnetic material, and the control component further includes a pair of magnets on both sides of the piezomagnetic material; and a phase splitter configured to receive a periodic oscillating electronic signal and generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals that are in opposite phases, the phase splitter being configured to generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals to drive the pair of magnets to generate a periodic oscillating magnetic field that is in opposite phase, thereby driving the piezomagnetic material to vibrate.

[0017] Exemplary implementation 12: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the control component is between a power source and an electrical load including a piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, and further includes a boost regulator configured to raise the voltage output of the power source to a higher voltage; and an electronic oscillator coupled to and between the boost regulator and the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, and the microprocessor is configured to drive the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, including being configured to drive the boost regulator to output a higher voltage to supply power to the electronic oscillator for generating a periodic oscillating electronic signal to drive the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material to vibrate at its resonance frequency.

[0018] Exemplary implementation 13: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the microprocessor is configured to output a pulse signal having a programmable duty cycle to drive the boost regulator and thereby the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal.

[0019] Exemplary implementation 14: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the microprocessor is configured to control an electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal having a frequency of 1,000 kilohertz corresponding to the resonance frequency of a piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material.

[0020] Exemplary implementation 15: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material is a piezomagnetic material, and the control component further includes a pair of magnets on both sides of the piezomagnetic material; and a phase splitter configured to receive a periodic oscillating electronic signal and generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals that are in opposite phases, and the phase splitter is configured to generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals to drive the pair of magnets to generate a periodic oscillating magnetic field that is in opposite phases, thereby driving the piezomagnetic material to vibrate.

[0021] Exemplary implementation 16: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, further comprising a power source that is a rechargeable battery configured to generate a voltage output and has a nominal voltage between 3.7 and 4.1 volts.

[0022] Exemplary implementation 17: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, further comprising a current sensor configured to measure a current passing through the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, and the microprocessor is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device according to the current measured in this way.

[0023] Exemplary Implementation 18: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, further comprising a micropump proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh to deliver the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the mesh for the discharge of the components of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0024] Exemplary Implementation 19: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, further comprising a microfilter proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh to filter the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir to the mesh for the discharge of the components of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0025] Exemplary Implementation 20: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, further comprising a micropump proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh to deliver the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the mesh for the discharge of the components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a microfilter between the micropump and the mesh to filter the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir to the mesh.

[0026] Exemplary Implementation 21: An aerosol delivery device according to any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, or any combination of any of the foregoing exemplary implementations, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises glycerin and nicotine.

[0027] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements described in this disclosure, whether or not such features or elements are explicitly combined or enumerated in the specific exemplary implementations described herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole such that, unless the context of the disclosure clearly indicates otherwise, any separable features or elements of the present disclosure are combinable in any of its aspects and exemplary implementations.

[0028] Accordingly, it should be understood that this brief summary is provided for the sole purpose of providing a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure by summarizing some exemplary implementations. Thus, the exemplary implementations described above are merely examples and should in no way be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Other exemplary implementations, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of some of the described exemplary implementations by way of example.

[0029] Having thus described the present disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0031] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to its exemplary implementations. These exemplary implementations are described so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the 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 implementations described herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will meet the applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” etc. include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, although quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships, etc. are referred to herein, unless otherwise specified, all or any one or more of these are absolute or approximate, taking into account possible variations due to technical tolerances, etc.

[0032] As described below, exemplary implementations of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery devices. An aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure uses electrical energy to dispense a material in an inhalable form (preferably without burning the material to a significant extent); and the components of such a system most preferably have the form of an article that is compact enough to be considered a handheld device. That is, the use of the components of a preferred aerosol delivery device does not result in the generation of smoke in the sense that the aerosol mainly results from by-products of tobacco combustion or pyrolysis; rather, the use of such a preferred system results in the generation of an aerosol caused by certain components incorporated into the aerosol passing through a vibrating piezoelectric or piezomagnetic mesh. In some exemplary implementations, the components of the aerosol delivery device may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, which most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components, and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0033] The aerosol-generating article of a particular preferred aerosol delivery device can provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the acts of inhalation and exhalation, types of taste or flavor, sensory effects, physical sensations, usage behaviors, visual cues such as those provided by the visible aerosol, and the like) used by tobacco ignition and combustion (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke) without causing any significant degree of combustion of any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol-generating article of the present disclosure can hold and use the article in a manner similar to how a smoker uses a traditional type of smoking article, draw on one end of the article for inhalation of the aerosol generated by the article, and puff and draw at selected time intervals.

[0034] This system is generally described herein with respect to implementations associated with aerosol delivery devices such as so-called "electronic cigarettes", but it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in many different forms and may be associated with a variety of articles. For example, the descriptions provided herein may be used in connection with implementations of packaging related to any of traditional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), non-combustible heated cigarettes, and related packaging of the products disclosed herein. Thus, the descriptions of the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are discussed from the perspective of implementations related to aerosol delivery devices by way of example only, and it should be understood that they may be embodied and used in a variety of other products and methods.

[0035] The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure can also be characterized as vapor generating articles or drug delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavorants and / or pharmaceutically active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance may in some cases be substantially in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may in some cases be in the form of a vapor (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below the critical point). For simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used herein means to include aerosols, vapors, and gases in a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or not, and whether considered to resemble smoke or not.

[0036] In use, the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may be subject to many physical acts that an individual takes when using traditional types of smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, or pipes that are used by lighting tobacco and inhaling the tobacco). For example, a user of the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may hold the article in a state very similar to that of traditional types of smoking articles, suck at one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, and be able to puff at selected time intervals.

[0037] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure generally includes several components provided within an outer body or shell, which may sometimes be referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell can vary, and the style or configuration of the outer body, which can define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device, can vary. Typically, an elongated body similar in shape to a cigarette or cigar may be formed from a single integrally molded housing, or the elongated housing may be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device can comprise a substantially tubular elongated shell or body and, therefore, can be similar in shape to a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all components of the aerosol delivery device are housed within one housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may comprise two or more housings that are joined and separable. For example, the aerosol delivery device can have a control body with a housing at one end that houses one or more reusable components (e.g., an accumulator such as a rechargeable battery and / or a rechargeable supercapacitor, as well as various electronics for controlling the operation of the article), and at the other end, an outer body or shell that includes a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable cartridge containing flavor) that can be removably coupled thereto. The more specific styles, configurations, and arrangements of the components within a single housing type unit or within a separable housing type unit consisting of multiple parts will be apparent in light of the further disclosure provided herein. Further, considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, the designs and component arrangements of various aerosol delivery devices can be understood.

[0038] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure most preferably includes a power source (i.e., a power supply), at least one control component (e.g., means for activating, controlling, regulating, and stopping power for aerosol dispensing, such as by controlling the current flowing from the power source to other components of the article, e.g., a microprocessor, either individual or part of a microcontroller), a vibratable piezoelectric or piezomagnetic mesh, sometimes generally referred to as an "atomizer", alone or in combination with one or more additional elements, an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid capable of producing an aerosol when dispensed through the vibratable piezoelectric or piezomagnetic mesh, such as components generally referred to as "smoke juice", "e-liquid", and "e-juice"), and a mouth end region or tip for enabling inhalation of the aerosol (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article through which the generated aerosol can be drawn in during inhalation) in the aerosol delivery device, in any combination.

[0039] The alignment of components within the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can vary. In certain implementations, the aerosol precursor composition can be placed near an end of the aerosol delivery device that can be configured to be positioned near the user's mouth to maximize delivery of the aerosol to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh can be positioned sufficiently close to the aerosol precursor composition such that when the mesh is vibrating, the aerosol precursor (as well as one or more flavorants, agents, etc. that can similarly be provided for delivery to the user) is drawn through the mesh to form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the aerosol precursor composition is dispensed through the mesh, the aerosol is formed, emitted, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms, references to release, releasing, releases, or released, are meant to be interchangeable with form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated, respectively. Specifically, the inhalable substances are released in the form of an aerosol or a vapor or a mixture thereof, and such terms are also used interchangeably herein unless otherwise specified.

[0040] As described above, the aerosol delivery device may incorporate a battery or other power source to provide sufficient current to provide various functionalities to the aerosol delivery device, such as power supply to the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh, power supply to the control system, power supply to the indicator, etc. The power source can take various implementations. Preferably, the power source is capable of delivering sufficient power to rapidly vibrate the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh to effect aerosol formation and to power the aerosol delivery device through the desired duration of use. The power source is preferably sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled. Further, a preferred power source is sufficiently lightweight so as not to detract from the desired smoking experience.

[0041] The more specific manner, configuration and arrangement of the components within the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure will be apparent in light of the further disclosure provided below. Further, the selection and arrangement of the components of various aerosol delivery devices can be understood in view of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Further information regarding the manner, configuration and arrangement of the components within the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure, as well as commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, can be found in International Patent Application Publication WO2015 / 168588 to Ademe et al. and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 291,771 to Sur et al., filed October 12, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an aerosol delivery device 100 including a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 according to various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows the control body and the cartridge coupled to each other. The control body and the cartridge may be removably aligned in a functional relationship. Various mechanisms may connect the cartridge to the control body, resulting in, for example, screw engagement, press-fit engagement, interference fit, magnetic engagement, and the like. In some exemplary implementations, when the cartridge and the control body are in an assembled configuration, the aerosol delivery device may be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. The aerosol delivery device may also have a substantially rectangular, rhomboidal, or triangular cross-section, a polyhedral shape, etc., some of which may provide greater compatibility with a substantially flat power source, such as a power source including a flat battery, or a thin-film power source, to itself.

[0043] The control body 102 and the cartridge 104 may each include a separate housing or outer body, which may be formed from any of several different materials. The housing may be formed from any suitable structurally rigid material. In some examples, the housing may be formed of a metal or alloy such as stainless steel, aluminum, or the like. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal plating covering the plastic, ceramics, and the like.

[0044] In some exemplary implementations, one or both of the control body 102 or the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery (e.g., a rechargeable thin film solid state battery) or a rechargeable supercapacitor, and thus may be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a typical wall outlet, connection to an automotive charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter receptacle), connection to a computer through a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector, connection to a solar cell (also called a photovoltaic cell) or a solar panel of a solar cell, wireless connection to a radio frequency (RF), wireless connection to an induction-based charging pad, or connection to an RF-DC converter.

[0045] Figure 2 shows, by way of several exemplary implementations, the aerosol delivery device 100 in more detail. As can be seen in the cutaway view shown therein, again, the aerosol delivery device can comprise a control body 102, each containing several respective components, and a cartridge 104. The components shown in Figure 2 are representative of the components that may be present within the control body and the cartridge, and are not intended to limit the scope of the components encompassed by the present disclosure. As shown, for example, the control body can be formed from a control body shell 206 that can include a control component 208 (e.g., a microprocessor individually or as part of a microcontroller), an input device 210, a power source 212, and one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 214, quantum dot LEDs, etc., and such components can be variably aligned. Examples of suitable control components include the PIC16(L)F1713 / 6 microcontroller of Microchip Technology Inc. described in Microchip Technology, Inc., AN2265, Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Reference Design (2016), which is incorporated by reference. The input device can be, for example, a switch that can be implemented in several different ways, such as a push button, or a touch switch, or other touch-sensitive surface, or may include such a switch. In some exemplary implementations, the input device may include a flow sensor configured to detect when the user inhales with the aerosol delivery device.

[0046] The power source 212 may include, for example, a battery (disposable or rechargeable), a rechargeable supercapacitor, a rechargeable solid state battery (SSB), a rechargeable lithium ion battery (LiB), etc., or some combination thereof. Some examples of suitable power sources are provided in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 918,926 to Sur et al., filed on October 21, 2015, which patent is incorporated herein by reference. Other examples of suitable power sources are provided in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0283855 to Hawes et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0014125 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0243410 to Nichols et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0313901 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] The LED 214 can be an example of a suitable visual indicator that can be equipped on the aerosol delivery device 100. In addition to or as an alternative to visual indicators such as LEDs and quantum dot LEDs, other indicators such as audio indicators (e.g., speakers) and tactile indicators (e.g., vibration motors) may be included.

[0048] The cartridge 104 can be formed from a cartridge shell 216 that surrounds a reservoir 218 configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition and includes a nozzle 220 having a piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh. In various configurations, such a structure may sometimes be referred to as a tank; thus, terms such as "cartridge," "tank," etc. may be used interchangeably to refer to a shell or other housing that surrounds a reservoir for the aerosol precursor composition and includes a nozzle.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the reservoir 218 may be a container or a fibrous reservoir as currently being described. The reservoir may be in fluid communication with the nozzle 220 to transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to the nozzle. An opening 222 may be present in the cartridge shell 216 (e.g., at the mouth end) to allow the aerosol formed to exit from the cartridge 104.

[0050] In some examples, a transport element may be positioned between the reservoir 218 and the nozzle 220 and configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition passed or delivered from the reservoir to the nozzle. In some examples, a microfluidic chip may be embedded in the cartridge 104, and the amount and / or mass of the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir may be controlled by one or more microfluidic components. An example of a microfluidic component is a micropump 224 such as those based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Examples of suitable micropumps include the model MDP2205 micropump from thinXXS Microtechnology AG and others, the mp5 and mp6 model micropumps from Bartels Mikrotechnik GmbH and others, and the piezoelectric micropumps from Takasago Fluidic Systems.

[0051] Also as shown, in some examples, a microfilter 226 may be positioned between the micropump 224 and the nozzle 220 to filter the aerosol precursor composition delivered to the nozzle. Similar to the micropump, the microfilter is a microfluidic component. Examples of suitable microfilters include flow-through microfilters manufactured using lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology.

[0052] During use, when the input device 210 detects a user input to activate the aerosol delivery device, the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh is activated to vibrate, thereby sucking the aerosol precursor composition through the mesh. This forms droplets of the aerosol precursor composition that combine with air to form an aerosol. The aerosol is removed from, inhaled through, or otherwise drawn out of the mesh and exits through the opening 224 at the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0053] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a number of additional software controlled functions. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include a power protection circuit configured to detect a power input, a load on the power terminals, and a charging input. The power protection circuit may include short circuit protection, low voltage lockout and / or overvoltage charging protection, and battery temperature compensation. The aerosol delivery device may also include components for ambient temperature measurement, and its control component 208 may be configured to control at least one functional element to suppress the charging of any battery power, particularly when the ambient temperature is below a specific temperature (e.g., 0 °C) before or during charging, or above a specific temperature (e.g., 45 °C).

[0054] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the power delivery from the power source 212 may vary over the course of each puff in the aerosol delivery device 100 according to a power control mechanism. The device may include a "long puff" safety timer such that if the user or a failure of a component (e.g., the input device 210) attempts to continuously puff the aerosol delivery device, the control component 208 may control at least one functional element to automatically end the puff after a short period (e.g., 4 seconds later). Further, the time between puffs in the aerosol delivery device may be limited to be shorter than a certain period (e.g., 100 seconds). A watchdog safety timer may be able to automatically reset the aerosol delivery device if the control component of the aerosol delivery device, or the software running thereon, becomes unstable and does not service the timer within an appropriate time interval (e.g., 8 seconds). Additional safety protection may be provided, such as permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device, to prevent inadvertent aerosol dispensing in the case of a defective or otherwise failed input device 210. If a failure of the input device causes the device to continue to be activated without stopping even after the maximum puff time of 4 seconds has passed, a puff limit switch may be able to deactivate the operation of the device.

[0055] The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a puff tracking algorithm configured to lock out the nozzle 220 from dispensing aerosol when a defined number of puffs has been achieved for the attached cartridge (based on the available number of puffs calculated in view of the filling of the e-liquid in the cartridge). The aerosol delivery device may include a sleep, standby or low power mode function, whereby power delivery may be automatically interrupted after a defined period of non-use. Further safety protection may be provided in that all charge / discharge cycles of the power source 212 may be monitored by the control component 208 over its lifetime. After the power source has reached a full discharge and full recharge cycle equivalent to a predetermined number (e.g., 200), it may be declared spent, and the control component may control at least one functional element to prevent further charging of the power source.

[0056] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may be selected from components described and commercially available in the art. Examples of batteries that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al., which patent is incorporated herein by reference.

[0057] The aerosol delivery device 100 can incorporate an input device 210, such as a switch, sensor, or detector, for controlling the power supply to the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh of the nozzle 220 when aerosol generation is desired (e.g., during use while inhaling). Thus, for example, a method or way is provided to turn off the power to the mesh when the aerosol delivery device is not being inhaled during use, and to turn on the power to activate or trigger the dispensing of the aerosol from the nozzle during inhalation. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and International Patent Application Publication WO2010 / 003480 to Flick, and all of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0058] The aerosol delivery device 100 most preferably incorporates a control component 208 or another control mechanism for controlling the amount of power to the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh during inhalation. Representative types of electronic components, their structures and configurations, their characteristics, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 8,881,737 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0257445 to Henry et al., and all of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0059] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., all of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. Further, various wicking materials, and the construction and operation of those wicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes, are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0060] An aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as a vapor precursor composition, can include various components including, by way of example, a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol or a mixture thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract and / or flavorants. In some examples, the aerosol precursor composition includes glycerin and nicotine. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 to Lipowicz et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, and International Patent Application Publication WO2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 222,615 to Watson et al., filed July 28, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that can be used include those incorporated into the VUSE(R) product by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, the BLU(TM) product by Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, the MISTIC MENTHOL product by Mistic Ecigs, and the VYPE product by CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable are so-called "smokeless juices" for electronic cigarettes available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC.

[0061] The implementation of the foaming material can be used with the aerosol precursor and is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0055494 to Hunt et al., which patent is incorporated herein by reference. Further, the use of the foaming material is described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,178,878 to Wehling et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,223,264 to Wehling et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,974,590 to Pather et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,381,667 to Bergquist et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,424,541 to Crawford et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al., and U.S. Patent No. 9,307,787 to Sun et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0018539 to Brinkley et al., and International Patent Application Publication WO97 / 06786 to Johnson et al., and all of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. Further description regarding the implementation of the aerosol precursor composition, including the description of tobacco or tobacco-derived components contained therein, is provided in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 15 / 216,582 and 15 / 216,590 to Davis et al., respectively, each filed on July 21, 2016, which patents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] Additional representative types of components that provide visual cues or indicators, such as visual indicators and related components, audio indicators, tactile indicators, etc., may be used in the aerosol delivery device 100. Examples of suitable LED components, as well as their construction and usage, are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent No. 9,451,791 to Sears et al., and all of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] Further other features, control devices or components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Katase, U.S. Patent No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,427,022 to Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., all of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] In some examples, the control component 208 may include a number of electronic components and, in some examples, may be formed on an electronic printed circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. The electronic components may include a microprocessor or processor core, and memory. In some examples, the control component may include a microcontroller having an integrated processor core and memory, and may further include one or more integrated input / output peripherals. In some examples, the control component may be coupled to the communication interface 228 to enable wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices, or other suitably enabled devices. Examples of suitable communication interfaces are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0261020 to Marion et al., the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Another example of a suitable communication interface is the CC3200 single-chip wireless microcontroller unit (MCU) by Texas Instruments. Examples of suitable methods by which the aerosol delivery device can be configured to communicate wirelessly are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007651 to Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0219933 to Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0065] Figures 3 and 4 show various elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 according to various implementation examples. As shown, the control component 208 may include a microprocessor 330, a boost regulator 332, and an electronic oscillator 334. In some examples, as shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 220 includes a piezoelectric material 336 surrounding a mesh 338. In other examples, as shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle includes a piezomagnetic material 436 surrounding a mesh 338, and the control component further includes a phase splitter 440 and a pair of magnets 442 (e.g., permanent magnets, electromagnets) on both sides of the piezomagnetic material. In one example, the electronic oscillator and the phase splitter may be implemented by a push-pull transformer driver such as the MAX13253 push-pull transformer driver from Maxim Integrated. These, and possibly other electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, switches, etc., may be coupled with the input device 210 and the power supply 212 to form an electrical circuit.

[0066] In some examples, the power supply 212 is a rechargeable battery (e.g., LiB) having a nominal voltage between 3.7 and 4.1 volts. In some examples, a buck-boost converter is connected to the power supply 212 between the power supply and its load. The buck-boost converter enables sufficient current from the battery to drive the piezoelectric material / piezomagnetic material 336 / 436 to oscillate even at a voltage as low as 2.7 volts. This in turn facilitates more output from a single charge of the power supply and more efficient use of that output. One example of a suitable buck-boost converter is the ADP1614 model step-up DC-DC converter from Analog Devices.

[0067] Briefly referring back to FIG. 2, in the example including the micropump 224, the micropump is proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh 338 for delivering the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the mesh for the ejection of components of the aerosol precursor composition. Similarly, in the example including the microfilter 226, the microfilter is proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh for filtering the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir to the mesh for the ejection of components of the aerosol precursor composition. Also, in the example including both the micropump and the microfilter, the microfilter is between the micropump and the mesh for filtering the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir to the mesh.

[0068] Returning to FIGS. 3 and 4, the microprocessor 330 is coupled and configured to drive the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic materials 336 / 436 to vibrate, causing the ejection of components of the aerosol precursor composition (from reservoir 218) through the mesh 338, thereby generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user. Accordingly, the aerosol delivery device 100 can generate an aerosol for inhalation without a heater or heating element that heats and thereby volatilizes the aerosol precursor to form the aerosol.

[0069] According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, the components of the aerosol precursor composition ejected through the mesh 338 have a diameter of less than 1 micrometer. In some examples, the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic materials 336 / 436 have a resonant frequency of up to 400 megahertz. In some examples, the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonant frequency of 1,000 kilohertz (up to 400 megahertz) and the mesh is a MEMS device. In other examples, the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic materials have a resonant frequency of 130 kilohertz (up to 400 megahertz) and the mesh is a stainless steel mesh. Also, in some examples, the mesh has a curved surface.

[0070] The boost regulator 332 is between the power supply 212 and an electrical load including the piezoelectric material / piezomagnetic material 336 / 436. The boost regulator is configured to raise the voltage output of the power supply to a higher voltage, and the microprocessor 330 is configured to drive the boost regulator to output a higher voltage in order to supply power to and vibrate the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic.

[0071] The electronic oscillator 334 is coupled to and between the microprocessor 330 and the piezoelectric material / piezomagnetic material 336 / 436, and the microprocessor is configured to drive the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal in order to drive the piezoelectric material / piezomagnetic material at its resonant frequency. In some examples, the microprocessor is configured to output a pulse signal having a programmable duty cycle to drive the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal. The frequency of the periodic oscillating electronic signal depends on the duty cycle, and by programming the duty cycle, the frequency of the periodic oscillating electronic signal can be similarly programmed to enable the use of piezoelectric materials / piezomagnetic materials at different resonant frequencies. In some examples, the microprocessor is configured to control the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal having a frequency of 1,000 kilohertz (up to 400 megahertz) corresponding to the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric material / piezomagnetic material.

[0072] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 3, the electronic oscillator 334 is electrically coupled to the piezoelectric material 336 and is configured to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal to drive the piezoelectric material to vibrate. In other examples, as shown in FIG. 4, the phase splitter 440 is configured to receive a periodic oscillating electronic signal from the electronic oscillator and generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals that are in opposite phases (i.e., 180 degrees apart). In such other examples, the phase splitter is configured to generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals to drive a pair of magnets 442 to generate a periodic oscillating magnetic field that is in opposite phases, thereby driving the piezomagnetic material 436 to vibrate.

[0073] In examples that include both the boost regulator 332 and the electronic oscillator 334, the electronic oscillator is coupled to and between the boost regulator and the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic material 336 / 436. In these examples, the microprocessor 330 is configured to drive the boost regulator to output a higher voltage to power the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal in order to drive the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic material to vibrate at its resonant frequency. In some examples, the microprocessor is configured to output a pulse signal having a programmable duty cycle to drive the boost regulator and thereby drive the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal. Also, in some examples, the microprocessor is configured to control the electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal having a frequency of 1,000 kilohertz (up to 400 megahertz) corresponding to the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic material.

[0074] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 5, the control component 208 further includes a current sensor 544 configured to measure the current passing through the piezoelectric / piezomagnetic material 336 / 436. In the case of a piezoelectric material, additional current is supplied to the material from, for example, the microprocessor 330 through an additional resistor to limit that additional current. Examples of suitable current sensors include current sense resistors, Hall effect current sensors, and the like. In these examples, the current sensor is connected to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor may be configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device 100 based on the measured current. In at least some examples, the microprocessor may be configured to cut off power when the current exceeds or falls below a threshold level indicative of a defective nozzle 220.

[0075] The foregoing description of the use of the article(s) can be applied to the various exemplary implementations described herein, through minor modifications that may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. However, the foregoing description of the use is not intended to limit the use of the article, but is provided to meet all the necessary requirements of the present disclosure. Any element shown in FIGS. 1-3 or otherwise described above in the article(s) may be included in the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0076] Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure described herein will come to mind to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the related drawings. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed, and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Further, although the foregoing description and the related drawings illustrate exemplary implementations in the context of specific exemplary combinations of elements and / or functions, it is to be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, various combinations of elements and / or functions other than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Specific terms are used in this specification, but they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. At least one housing surrounding a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition, A nozzle coupled to the housing for discharging the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir and including a piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material surrounding a mesh, A control component including a microprocessor coupled and configured to drive the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material to vibrate, causing the components of the aerosol precursor composition to be discharged through the mesh, thereby generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user, wherein the components of the aerosol precursor composition are discharged through a mesh having a diameter of less than 1 micrometer, the control component An aerosol delivery device comprising.

2. The piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonant frequency of up to 400 megahertz, the aerosol delivery device according to claim 1.

3. The piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonant frequency of 1,000 kilohertz and the mesh is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, the aerosol delivery device according to claim 1.

4. The piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material has a resonant frequency of 130 kilohertz and the mesh is a stainless steel mesh, the aerosol delivery device according to claim 1.

5. The mesh has a curved surface, the aerosol delivery device according to claim 1.

6. Further comprising a power source which is a rechargeable battery configured to generate a voltage output and having a nominal voltage between 3.7 and 4.1 volts, The control component further includes a boost regulator configured to raise the voltage output of the power source to a higher voltage between the power source and an electrical load including the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to drive the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, including driving the boost regulator to output a higher voltage to supply power to the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material to vibrate.

7. The control component further includes an electronic oscillator coupled to and between the microprocessor and the piezoelectric or piezomagnetic material, The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to drive a piezoelectric material or a piezomagnetic material, and includes being configured to drive an electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal in order to drive the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material at its resonance frequency.

8. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is configured to output a pulse signal having a programmable duty cycle in order to drive an electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal.

9. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is configured to control an electronic oscillator in order to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal having a frequency of 1,000 kilohertz corresponding to the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material.

10. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 7, wherein the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material is a piezoelectric material, and the electronic oscillator is electrically coupled to the piezoelectric material and configured to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal in order to drive the piezoelectric material to vibrate.

11. The piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material is a piezomagnetic material, and the control component includes a pair of magnets on both sides of the piezomagnetic material, and a phase splitter configured to receive a periodic oscillating electronic signal and generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals that are in opposite phases, the phase splitter being configured to generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals to drive the pair of magnets to generate a periodic oscillating magnetic field that is in opposite phases, thereby driving the piezomagnetic material to vibrate. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 7, further including the above.

12. The control component includes a boost regulator disposed between a power source and an electrical load including the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material, the boost regulator being configured to raise the voltage output of the power source to a higher voltage, and an electronic oscillator coupled to and between the boost regulator and the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material. Further including The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to drive a piezoelectric material or a piezomagnetic material, and includes being configured to drive the boost regulator to output a higher voltage in order to drive the piezoelectric material or the piezomagnetic material to vibrate at its resonance frequency, and supply power to the electronic oscillator for generating a periodic oscillating electronic signal.

13. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 12, wherein the microprocessor is configured to drive a boost regulator and thereby drive an electronic oscillator to output a pulse signal having a programmable duty cycle for generating a periodic oscillating electronic signal.

14. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 12, wherein the microprocessor is configured to control an electronic oscillator to generate a periodic oscillating electronic signal having a frequency of 1,000 kilohertz corresponding to the resonance frequency of a piezoelectric material or a piezomagnetic material.

15. The piezoelectric material or piezomagnetic material is a piezomagnetic material, and the control component includes a pair of magnets on both sides of the piezomagnetic material, and a phase splitter configured to receive a periodic oscillating electronic signal and generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals that are in opposite phases, the phase splitter being configured to generate a pair of periodic oscillating electronic signals to drive a pair of magnets to generate a periodic oscillating magnetic field in opposite phases, thereby driving the piezomagnetic material to vibrate. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 12, further comprising the above.

16. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 12, further comprising a power source that is a rechargeable battery configured to generate a voltage output and having a nominal voltage between 3.7 and 4.1 volts.

17. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a current sensor configured to measure a current passing through a piezoelectric material or a piezomagnetic material, and the microprocessor is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device according to the current measured in this way.

18. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a micropump proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh for delivering the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the mesh for discharging the components of the aerosol precursor composition.

19. The aerosol precursor composition is delivered from the reservoir to the mesh for discharging its components, and The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a microfilter proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh for filtering the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir to the mesh for discharging the components of the aerosol precursor composition.

20. For the discharge of the components of the aerosol precursor composition, a micropump proximate to the reservoir side of the mesh for delivering the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the mesh, and The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a microfilter between the micropump and the mesh for filtering the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir to the mesh.

21. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol precursor composition contains glycerin and nicotine.

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