Atomizer and aerosol delivery device

Abstract

To provide an atomizer and an aerosol delivery device.SOLUTION: An atomizer and an aerosol delivery device are described, where the atomizer has a fluid transport element 236 formed from a rigid monolith having a first side 244 and a second side 248 opposite to the first side. The atomizer also has a heater. The heater provides a substantially planar heating surface. The heating surface is positioned to face the first side of the rigid monolith.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as e-cigarettes) that may utilize electrically generated heat via conduction or induction for the generation of an aerosol. The smoking article may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which may be made from tobacco, derived from tobacco, or may otherwise incorporate materials that may incorporate tobacco, and the precursor can form an inhalable substance for human consumption. [Background technology]

[0002] Many smoking devices have been proposed over the years as an improvement or replacement for smoking products that require tobacco combustion for use. Many of these devices are designed to provide the sensation associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but are said to not deliver significant amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products resulting from tobacco combustion. For this purpose, many smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile materials, or to provide the sensation of smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without significantly burning tobacco. For example, see the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art of U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat sources referenced by trade names and commercial sources set forth in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 170,838 to Bless et al., filed February 3, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 [Patent Document 3] US Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 170,838 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It would be desirable to provide a vapor forming unit for an aerosol delivery device, the vapor forming unit being configured to improve vapor formation. It would also be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device manufactured utilizing such a vapor forming unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device and elements of such a device. The aerosol delivery device and a wick can be particularly integrated to form a vapor formation unit, and the vapor formation unit can be combined with a power supply unit to form the aerosol delivery device.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure may relate to a nebulizer particularly useful for aerosol delivery devices. The nebulizer may include, among other things, at least a fluid transport element and a heater. The fluid transport element may be formed from a rigid material, such as a porous or non-porous monolith. Combining the heater and the fluid transport element may improve vapor formation, depending on the specific configuration of the individual components and materials.

[0007] In some embodiments, an exemplary sprayer can include a fluid transport element comprising a rigid monolith having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a heater, wherein the heater has a substantially planar heating surface, the heating surface positioned to face the first side of the rigid monolith.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rigid monolith is formed from a porous material that is capable of wicking the aerosol precursor composition close to the heated surface by capillary action.

[0009] In some embodiments, the rigid monolith is formed from a substantially non-porous material, and the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from a first side to a second side to provide a conduit for the vaporized aerosol precursor.

[0010] In certain embodiments, the fluid transfer element further comprises an absorbent pad along the first side of the rigid monolith.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the rigid monolith further comprises at least one passageway adjacent its periphery, the passageway providing a conduit for the liquid aerosol precursor to travel from the second side to the first side of the rigid monolith.

[0012] In some embodiments, the rigid monolith has a recess formed in a first side, and the heating surface is positioned to face a base surface of the recess. According to some implementations, the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from the base surface to the second side. The at least one opening may include a centrally located opening. The at least one opening may include multiple openings, and the centrally located opening may have a larger diameter than the remaining multiple openings. In some cases, the base surface includes a protrusion through which the centrally located opening extends. In some embodiments, the recess in the rigid monolith has a depth greater than about 30% of the thickness of the disk. When an absorbent pad and a recess are provided, the pad may reside in the recess. In some embodiments, the absorbent pad may include a centrally located opening.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heater comprises at least one heating element selected from the group including a heater wire, a conductive mesh, and a conductive trace printed on the surface of the substrate, or a heater covered by a thermally conductive material.

[0014] In some embodiments, the atomizer also includes a thermal insulator separate from the heater, which may be a mica disk or other material with low thermal conductivity.

[0015] In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the nebulizers described herein can be included for use in an aerosol delivery device.

[0016] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device defines an air flow path from the air intake to the mouthpiece that passes along the second side of the rigid monolith.

[0017] In some embodiments, the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from the first side to the second side, and the aerosol delivery device is configured such that the vaporized aerosol precursor is drawn through the at least one opening by gravity or by a pressure differential created by the drawing of air moving along an air flow path along the second side of the rigid monolith.

[0018] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device includes a reservoir (e.g., a tank) containing the aerosol precursor composition. The reservoir can be tubular or another shape, such as rectangular, and the aerosol delivery device can define an air flow path through the reservoir from the air intake to the mouthpiece.

[0019] In some embodiments, the rigid monolith further comprises a circumferential groove formed in a second side thereof, the groove configured to aid in sealing the rigid monolith to the reservoir.

[0020] The fluid transport element can draw or otherwise transport the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to a heater thermally connected to the fluid transport element. The heater is positioned outside the reservoir to vaporize at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition transported from the reservoir through the fluid transport element. The formed vapor can combine with air drawn into the aerosol delivery device to form an aerosol, which flows to the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device and exits the aerosol delivery device. Aerosol delivery devices, including nebulizers, can be a single, integrated structure containing all of the elements described herein (e.g., power element, control element, and vaporization element) useful for forming an aerosol. The aerosol delivery device can be a cartridge or tank attached to a separate control body, which can include a power element (e.g., a battery) and / or a control element.

[0021] The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0022] Embodiment 1: A sprayer comprising a fluid transport element comprising a rigid monolith having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a heater, wherein the heater has a substantially planar heating surface, the heating surface being positioned to face the first side of the rigid monolith.

[0023] Embodiment 2: The nebulizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith is formed from a porous material capable of wicking the aerosol precursor composition near the heated surface by capillary action.

[0024] Embodiment 3: The nebulizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith is formed from a substantially non-porous material, and wherein the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from the first side to the second side to provide a conduit for the vaporized aerosol precursor.

[0025] Embodiment 4: The sprayer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the fluid transfer element further comprises an absorbent pad along the first side of the rigid monolith.

[0026] Embodiment 5: The nebulizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith further comprises at least one passageway adjacent its periphery, the passageway providing a conduit for the liquid aerosol precursor to travel from the second side to the first side of the rigid monolith.

[0027] Embodiment 6: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith has a recess formed in a first side thereof and is positioned so that the heated surface faces a base surface of the recess.

[0028] Embodiment 7: The sprayer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from the base surface to the second side surface.

[0029] Embodiment 8: The sprayer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one opening comprises a centrally located opening.

[0030] Embodiment 9: The sprayer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings, and a centrally located opening has a larger diameter than the remaining openings of the plurality of openings.

[0031] Embodiment 10: The sprayer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the base surface comprises a protrusion having a centrally located opening therethrough.

[0032] Embodiment 11: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the recess has a depth greater than about 30% of the thickness of the rigid monolith.

[0033] Embodiment 12: The nebulizer of any preceding embodiment, further comprising an absorbent pad disposed in a recess between the heated surface and the base surface.

[0034] Embodiment 13: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the heater comprises at least one heating element selected from the group including a heater wire, a conductive mesh, and a conductive trace printed on the surface of the substrate.

[0035] Embodiment 14: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, further comprising an insulator separate from the heater.

[0036] Embodiment 15: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the insulator comprises mica.

[0037] Embodiment 16: An aerosol delivery device comprising a nebulizer according to any preceding embodiment.

[0038] Embodiment 17: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol delivery device defines an air flow path from the air intake to the mouthpiece that passes along the second side of the rigid monolith.

[0039] Embodiment 18: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith comprises at least one opening extending from the first side to the second side, and wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured such that vaporized aerosol precursor is drawn through the at least one opening by a pressure differential created by drawing air moving along an air flow path along the second side of the rigid monolith.

[0040] Embodiment 19: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, comprising a reservoir containing an aerosol precursor composition, wherein the aerosol delivery device forms an air flow path from the air intake to the mouthpiece that passes through the reservoir.

[0041] Embodiment 20: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith further comprises a circumferential groove formed on its second side, the circumferential groove configured to assist in sealing the rigid monolith to the reservoir.

[0042] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the above-described embodiments, as well as combinations of any 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 intended to be read as a whole such that any separable features or elements of the disclosed invention, in any of its various aspects and embodiments, appear as intended to be combinable, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0043] The present disclosure having been described in general terms above, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0044] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge and a power supply unit with various elements that may be utilized in the aerosol delivery device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a fluid transport element according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a heater and insulator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a sprayer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective end view of a tank that functions as a reservoir, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic, partially cutaway view of an aerosol delivery device comprising the tank of FIG. 5 and the nebulizer of FIG. 4 including a reservoir and a nebulizer, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view from a first side of a heater according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 8 is an exploded perspective view of the heater of FIG. 7 from a second side. FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a schematic, partially cutaway view of an aerosol delivery device including the tank of FIG. 5 and the nebulizer of FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] The present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Indeed, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0046] As described below, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. Aerosol delivery systems according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material (e.g., without significantly burning and / or significantly chemically altering the material) to form an inhalable substance, and components of such systems have the form of an article that can be small enough to be considered a handheld device. That is, use of the components of the aerosol delivery system does not produce smoke (i.e., from byproducts of tobacco combustion or pyrolysis); rather, use of the systems produces vapor resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. In some embodiments, components of the aerosol delivery system may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, which incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and are thus capable of delivering tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0047] The aerosol-generating components of a particular aerosol delivery system may provide many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation patterns, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, physical sensations, modes of use, visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol, etc.) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe used by lighting and burning tobacco (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke) without substantially burning any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol-generating component of the present disclosure may hold and use the component, draw on one end of the component to inhale the aerosol generated by the component, take puffs at selected time intervals, etc., in the same way as a smoker would use a conventional type of smoking article.

[0048] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can also be characterized as a vapor product or drug delivery article. Accordingly, such articles or devices can be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and / or active pharmaceutical ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance can be substantially in vapor form (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance can be in aerosol form (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For clarity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases, and aerosols in any form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not they are visible and whether or not they are in a form that can be considered smoky.

[0049] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure generally includes many components disposed within an outer body or shell, which may be referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell can vary, and the type or configuration of the outer body can vary, which can define the overall dimensions and shape of the aerosol delivery device. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be formed from a single, integral housing, or the elongated housing can be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device can include an elongated shell or body that can be substantially tubular in shape and can resemble the shape of a traditional cigarette or cigar. In another embodiment, the shell can have a rectangular, triangular, oval, or other cross-sectional shape. In one embodiment, all components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within a single housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device can include two or more joined and separable housings. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body (or power unit) at one end that includes a housing that houses one or more components (e.g., a battery and various electronics for controlling the operation of the item) and a removably attached outer body or shell at the other end that houses the aerosol-forming components (e.g., one or more aerosol precursor ingredients such as flavors and aerosol-forming agents, one or more heaters, and / or one or more wicks).

[0050] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can be formed from an outer housing or shell that is not substantially tubular but can be formed substantially to relatively large dimensions. The housing or shell can be configured to contain a mouthpiece and / or contain consumable elements such as a liquid aerosol former, and may be configured to receive a separate shell (e.g., a cartridge or tank) that can contain a vaporizer or atomizer.

[0051] Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure often include some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical drive source), at least one control component (e.g., a means (e.g., a microcontroller or microprocessor) for activating, controlling, regulating, and terminating power for heat generation, such as by controlling the flow of current from the power source to other components of the article), a heater or heat-generating member (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element or material configured to generate heat as a result of induced eddy currents, which, alone or in combination with one or more additional elements, may be commonly referred to as an "atomizer"), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid that can produce an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such as ingredients commonly referred to as "smoke juice," "e-liquid," and "e-juice"), and a mouthpiece and mouth area that allows the aerosol delivery device to be drawn on for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article so that the generated aerosol can be drawn therefrom by inhalation).

[0052] More specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure will become apparent in light of the further disclosure provided below. Moreover, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol delivery system components can be understood in light of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as the representative products referenced in the Background section of this disclosure.

[0053] One exemplary embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 illustrating components that may be utilized in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1. The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a power supply unit 102 and a cartridge 104, which may be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship, as seen in the cutaway view shown therein. Engagement between the power supply unit 102 and the cartridge 104 may be press-fit (as shown), threaded, interference fit, magnetic, or the like. Specifically, connection components as further described herein may be used. For example, the power supply unit may include a coupler configured to engage with a connector on the cartridge. By way of further example, in some exemplary embodiments, the housing of the power supply unit 102 may define a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge 104. In such embodiments in which at least a portion of the cartridge 104 is received in a cavity of the power supply unit 102, the cartridge 104 may be retained within the cavity of the power supply unit 102 by an interference fit (e.g., by using detents and / or other features that create an interference engagement between the outer surface of the cartridge 104 and the inner surface of the cavity wall), magnetic engagement, or other suitable technique.

[0054] In certain embodiments, one or both of the power supply unit 102 and cartridge 104 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the power supply unit may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery and may therefore be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a wall charger, a connection to an automobile charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter socket), and a connection to a computer, any of which may include a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C), a photovoltaic cell (sometimes called a solar cell), or a solar panel, or a wireless charger, such as a charger that uses inductive wireless charging (e.g., including wireless charging compliant with the Qi wireless charging standard by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)), or a radio frequency (RF)-based charger. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additionally, in some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a disposable cartridge such as that disclosed in US Pat. No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 1 , power supply unit 102 can be formed from a power supply unit shell 101 that can include control components 106 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB), integrated circuits, memory components, a microcontroller, etc., as well as resistance temperature detectors for temperature control), a flow sensor 108, a battery 110, and an LED 112, which can be variably aligned. In addition to or as an alternative to the LED, additional indicators (e.g., tactile feedback components, audio feedback components, etc.) can be included. Additional representative types of components or indicators that provide visual cues, such as light-emitting diode (LED) components, and their construction and use, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,499,766 to Newton, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, U.S. Pat. App. No. 2015 / 0020825 to Galloway et al., and U.S. Pat. App. No. 2015 / 0216233 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. It will be understood that none of the illustrated elements are required. For example, the LEDs may not be present or may be replaced by a different indicator, such as a vibrating indicator. Similarly, the flow sensor may be replaced by a manual actuator, such as a push button.

[0056] The cartridge 104 can be formed from a cartridge shell 103 enclosing a reservoir 144 in fluid communication with a fluid transport element 136 configured to wick or otherwise transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to the heater 134. The fluid transport element can be formed from one or more materials configured to transport liquid, such as by capillary action. The fluid transport element can be formed from, for example, fibrous materials (e.g., organic cotton, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose cloth, glass fiber), porous ceramics (alumina, silica, zirconia, SiC, SiN, AlN, etc.), porous carbon, graphite, porous glass, sintered glass beads, sintered ceramic beads, capillaries, porous polymers, etc. Thus, the fluid transport element can be any material that includes an open pore network (i.e., multiple pores interconnected so that fluid can flow from one pore to another in multiple directions through the element). The pores can be nanopores, micropores, macropores, or a combination thereof. As discussed further herein, some embodiments of the present disclosure may specifically relate to the use of non-fibrous transport elements. Thus, in some embodiments, fibrous transport elements may be explicitly excluded. Alternatively, a combination of fibrous and non-fibrous transport elements may be utilized. In some embodiments, the fluid transport element may be a substantially solid, non-porous material, such as a polymer or dense ceramic or metal, configured to direct liquid through openings or slots without necessarily relying on wicking by capillary action. Such a solid may be used in combination with a porous absorbent pad. The absorbent pad may be formed from silica-based fibers, organic cotton, rayon fibers, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose cloth, highly porous ceramic or metal mesh, or the like.

[0057] Various embodiments of materials configured to generate heat upon application of an electric current may be used to form the heater 134. Examples of materials from which the wire coil may be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nichrome, nickel, stainless steel, indium tin oxide, tungsten, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum-doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)), titanium, platinum, silver, palladium, alloys of silver and palladium, graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), conductive inks, boron-doped silica, and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). The heater 134 may be a resistive heating element or a heating element configured to generate heat by induction. The heater 134 may be coated with a thermally conductive ceramic, such as aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, alumina, silicon nitride, or a composite thereof.

[0058] An opening 128 may be present in the cartridge shell 103 (e.g., at the mouth end) to allow the formed aerosol to be released from the cartridge 104. Such components are representative of components that may be present in a cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of cartridge components encompassed by this disclosure.

[0059] Cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components 150, which may include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors, etc. Electronic components 150 may be configured to communicate with control component 106 and / or external devices by wired or wireless means. Electronic components 150 may be located anywhere within cartridge 104 or its base 140.

[0060] While the control component 106 and the flow sensor 108 are illustrated separately, it is understood that the control component and the flow sensor may be combined as an electronic circuit board with the air flow sensor directly attached. The control component 106 may be considered to include a resistance temperature detector, or the resistance temperature detector may be integrated into the electronics 150. Furthermore, the electronic circuit board may be oriented horizontally relative to the view of FIG. 1 in that the electronic circuit board may be longitudinally parallel to the central axis of the power supply unit. In some embodiments, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board or other base element to which it may be attached. In some embodiments, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. The flexible circuit board may be configured in various shapes, including a substantially tubular shape. For example, a printed circuit board and pressure sensor configuration is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245658 to Worm et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] The power supply unit 102 and cartridge 104 may include components configured to facilitate fluid engagement therebetween. As shown in FIG. 1 , the power supply unit 102 may include a coupler 124 having a cavity 125 therein. The cartridge 104 may include a base 140 configured to engage with the coupler 124 and may include a protrusion 141 configured to fit within the cavity 125. Such engagement may facilitate a stable connection between the power supply unit 102 and the cartridge 104 as well as establish an electrical connection between the battery 110 and control components 106 in the power supply unit and the heater 134 in the cartridge. Additionally, the power supply unit shell 101 may include an air inlet 118, which may be a notch in the shell that connects to the coupler 124, allowing ambient air around the coupler to pass into the shell, then through the cavity 125 of the coupler, and into the cartridge via the protrusion 141. The intake port 118 is not limited to being on or adjacent to the power unit shell 101, but may be formed outside the cartridge or through some other part of the aerosol delivery device, such as a removable mouthpiece.

[0062] Useful couplers and bases according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, as seen in FIG. 1 , the coupler may define an outer periphery 126 configured to mate with an inner periphery 142 of a base 140. In one embodiment, the inner periphery of the base may define a radius that is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. Additionally, the coupler 124 may define one or more protrusions 129 on the outer periphery 126 configured to engage with one or more recesses 178 defined in the inner periphery of the base. However, various other embodiments of structures, shapes, and components may be used to couple the base to the coupler. In some embodiments, the connection between the base 140 of the cartridge 104 and the coupler 124 of the power supply unit 102 may be substantially permanent, while in other embodiments, the connection therebetween may be removable, for example, so that the power supply unit may be reused with one or more additional cartridges, which may be disposable and / or refillable.

[0063] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. Other embodiments encompass additional shapes and dimensions, such as rectangular, oval, hexagonal, or triangular cross-sections, polyhedral shapes, etc. Specifically, the power unit 102 need not be rod-shaped, but rather may be substantially rectangular, circular, or have some additional shape. Similarly, the power unit 102 may be substantially larger than a power unit that would be expected to be substantially the size of a conventional cigarette.

[0064] The reservoir 144 shown in FIG. 1 can be a container (e.g., formed from walls substantially impermeable to the aerosol precursor composition) or a fibrous reservoir. The container walls can be flexible and collapsible. Alternatively, the container walls can be substantially rigid. The container can be substantially sealed to prevent penetration of the aerosol precursor composition other than through any specific openings expressly provided for passage of the aerosol precursor composition, such as through a transport element described elsewhere herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the reservoir 144 can comprise one or more layers of nonwoven fibers substantially formed in the shape of a tube that surrounds the interior of the cartridge shell 103. The fibers can be composed of polycarbonate, silicone, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, or ceramic. The aerosol precursor composition can be retained in the reservoir 144. For example, a liquid component can be sorbently retained by the reservoir 144 (i.e., if the reservoir 144 includes a fibrous material). The reservoir 144 can be fluidly connected to the fluid transport element 136. In this embodiment, the fluid transport element 136 can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir 144 via capillary action to the heating element 134, which is in the form of a metal wire coil. Thus, the heating element 134 is in a heating configuration with the fluid transport element 136.

[0065] In use, when a user draws on the article 100, airflow is detected by the sensor 108, activating the heating element 134, which vaporizes the components of the aerosol precursor composition. When drawing on the mouth end of the article 100, ambient air enters the inlet 118 and passes through the cavity 125 in the coupler 124 and the central opening in the protruding portion 141 of the base 140. In the cartridge 104, the drawn-in air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is blown, inhaled, or otherwise drawn through the heating element 134 and exits through the mouth opening 128 in the mouth end of the article 100. Alternatively, in the absence of an airflow sensor, the heating element 134 may be activated manually, such as by a push button.

[0066] The aerosol delivery device may include an input element (which may replace or complement the airflow or pressure sensor). The input may be included to allow a user to control the device's functions and / or output information to the user. Any component or combination of components may be utilized as an input to control the device's functions. For example, one or more push buttons may be used, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245658 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, a touchscreen may be used, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 643,626 to Sears et al., filed March 10, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference. As a further example, a component adapted for gesture recognition based on specific movements of the aerosol delivery device may be used as an input. See U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0158782 to Henry et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. As yet another example, a capacitance sensor may be implemented in the aerosol delivery device to allow a user to provide input, such as by touching a surface of the device on which the capacitance sensor is implemented.

[0067] In some embodiments, the input may include a computer or computing device such as a smartphone or tablet. Specifically, the aerosol delivery device may be wired to a computer or other device, such as via a USB cord or similar protocol. The aerosol delivery device may also communicate with the computer or other device acting as the input via wireless communication. See, for example, the system and method for controlling a device via a readout request, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007561 to Ampolini et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In such embodiments, an application or other computer program may be used in conjunction with a computer or other computing device to input control instructions to the aerosol delivery device, including, for example, the ability to form an aerosol of a specific composition by selecting the nicotine content and / or the content of additional flavors to be included.

[0068] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be selected from those described in the art and commercially available. An example of a battery that can be used according to the present disclosure is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 to Peckerar et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0069] The aerosol delivery device can incorporate a sensor or detector for controlling the supply of power to the heating element when aerosol generation is desired (for example, when inhaled during use).In this way, for example, a manner or method is provided for turning off the power supply to the heating element when the aerosol delivery device is not inhaled during use, and turning on the power supply to activate or cause the heating element to generate heat during inhalation.Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structure and configuration, their components and their general operating methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and International Publication No. WO 2010 / 003480 to Flick, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0070] The aerosol delivery device may incorporate a control mechanism for controlling the amount of power to the heating element during inhalation. Representative types of electronic components, their structure and configuration, their features, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collet et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014 / 0270727 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015 / 0257445 to Henry et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0071] 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 Nos. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al. and 2014 / 0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, various wicking materials and the configuration and operation of those wicking materials within particular types of electronic cigarettes are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] In aerosol delivery systems characterized as electronic cigarettes, the aerosol precursor composition may incorporate tobacco or tobacco-derived components. In some respects, tobacco may be provided as tobacco parts or pieces, such as finely ground, crushed, or powdered tobacco flakes. For example, tobacco beads, pellets, or other solid forms may be included, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0335070 to Sears et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In other respects, tobacco may be provided in the form of an extract, such as a spray-dried extract incorporating many of the water-soluble components of tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco extract may be in the form of a relatively high-nicotine-containing extract that also incorporates small amounts of other extracted components derived from tobacco. In other respects, tobacco-derived components may be provided in a relatively pure form, such as certain tobacco-derived flavoring agents. In some respects, a component derived from tobacco that may be used in a highly purified or essentially pure form is nicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical-grade nicotine). In other embodiments, only non-tobacco materials may form the aerosol precursor composition.

[0073] The aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as a vapor precursor composition or "e-liquid," may contain a variety of ingredients including, for example, a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract, and / or flavorings. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0213417 to Chong et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 to Lipowicz et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, and WO 2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include those incorporated into VUSE® products by RJ Reynolds Vapor Company, BLU™ products by Lorillard Technologies, MISTIC MENTHOL products by Mistic Ecigs, MARK TEN products by Nu Mark LLC, JUUL products by Juul Labs, Inc., and VYPE products by CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable are so-called "smoke juices" for e-cigarettes available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC.Further examples of aerosol precursor compositions are sold under the trade names BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR. CRIMMY'S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT. BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN. The amount of aerosol precursor incorporated into the aerosol delivery system is such that the aerosol-generating component provides acceptable sensory and desirable performance characteristics. For example, it is desirable to use a sufficient amount of aerosol-forming material (e.g., glycerin and / or propylene glycol) to generate a visible mainstream aerosol that resembles in many respects the appearance of cigarette smoke. The amount of aerosol precursor in the aerosol-generating system may depend on factors such as the number of puffs desired per aerosol-generating component. In one or more embodiments, about 0.5 ml or more, about 1 ml or more, about 2 ml or more, about 5 ml or more, or about 10 ml or more of the aerosol precursor composition may be included.

[0074] Still other features, controls or components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. ... U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 to Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 to DePiano et al.

[0075] The above description of the use of the article may be applied to the various embodiments 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 above description of use is not intended to limit the use of the article, but is provided to comply with all necessary disclosure requirements of the present disclosure. Any of the elements shown in FIG. 1 or otherwise described in the article above may be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0076] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure may relate specifically to an aerosol delivery device configured to increase vapor production. Such an increase may result from a variety of factors. In some embodiments, the fluid transport element may be partially or completely formed from a porous monolith, such as a porous ceramic, porous glass, porous polymer, or the like. Exemplary monolithic materials suitable for use with embodiments of the present disclosure are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 988,109, filed January 5, 2016, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0123989 to LaMothe, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the porous monolith may form a substantially rigid wick. In particular, the transport element may be a substantially single monolithic material, rather than a bundle of individual fibers as known in the art.

[0077] The use of rigid porous monoliths as fluid transport elements can be beneficial for improving heating uniformity and reducing the likelihood of carbonization of the fluid transport element if uneven heating occurs. It may also be desirable to eliminate the presence of fibrous materials within the aerosol delivery device. Despite these advantages, porous monoliths present certain challenges for successful implementation as fluid transport elements. These challenges stem in part from the different material properties of porous monoliths (e.g., porous ceramics) compared to fibrous wicks. For example, alumina has both a higher thermal conductivity and a higher heat capacity than silica. These thermal properties result in heat being lost from the aerosol precursor composition at the wick-heater interface, which may require a relatively higher initial energy output to achieve comparable fluid vaporization. The present disclosure provides a means to overcome these challenges.

[0078] In some embodiments using a porous monolith, the heat flux density (Watts per square meter (W / m)) at the surface of the porous monolith fluid transport element can be reduced, allowing for a reduction in the energy required for vaporization when using a porous monolith. 2Improved vaporization response times can be achieved by increasing the heat flux density (measured in units of 1000 psi). This disclosure describes embodiments that are particularly well suited to providing such increases in heat flux density.

[0079] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a sprayer configuration in which the fluid transport element provides a flat heat-receiving surface for receiving heat from the planar heating surface of the heater. Figure 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present disclosure in which the fluid transport element 236 is in the form of a substantially rigid porous monolith. The fluid transport element 236 has a body 240 in the shape of a circular disk having a first side 244 and a second side 248. The periphery of the body 240 may take other shapes in addition to being circular to accommodate the overall cross-section of the aerosol delivery device utilizing the fluid transport element 236. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second sides 244, 248 generally correspond to opposing surfaces of a circular disk. The first and second sides 244, 248 may be surfaces that are substantially parallel to one another. The circular disk has an outer diameter D of about 6 mm to about 14 mm. M However, the dimensions of body 240 may vary depending on the dimensions of the components of the associated aerosol delivery device. For example, if the aerosol delivery device resembles a cigarette, the body may have an outer diameter D 104 such that the body fits within shell 103 ( FIG. 1 ) when the disc is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol delivery device, as shown in FIG. M may be selected. M may be constant as shown, or may vary to form a stepped or conical outer surface to facilitate assembly of the aerosol delivery device, including, but not limited to, facilitating operable fluid contact between a reservoir containing an aerosol precursor composition and the radially outer portion of body 240.

[0080] 2, the first side 244 may be the heat-receiving side intended to be adjacent to and possibly in contact with the heater. The second side 248 may be the aerosol-emitting side from which vapor is intended to be blown away from the fluid transfer element 236 by airflow generated by a user while drawing on the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device. In other embodiments not shown, heat can be applied to the second side 248 and the aerosol can be blown away from the first side 244, or both heating and blowing can occur primarily on one side of the body 240. In some embodiments, particularly those in which airflow passes adjacent to each side of the body, both heating and blowing on each side of the body 240 are contemplated.

[0081] 2, the first side 244 may include a recess 252 formed or otherwise provided in the body 240. The recess 252 may have a shape that matches the shape of the perimeter of the body 240. In the illustrated circular case, the recess 252 generally extends over the diameter D of the body 240. M Diameter D of about 5mm to about 12mm, which is larger than half of R The diameter D R may be selected based in part on the radius of the conduit through the reservoir adjacent to the fluid transport element 236.

[0082] The portion of the body 240 between the outer periphery and the recess 252 can be referred to as the absorbent region 254, which may be positioned in full or partial contact with the reservoir, as shown in FIG.

[0083] The recess 252 may have a depth Z, which is between about 1 mm and about 4 mm, and optionally between about 1.75 mm and about 2 mm, which is less than the thickness T of the body 240. MThe depth Z may be about one-third to about three-quarters of the depth of the recess 252. Again, the absolute and relative depths of the recess 252 may vary. In one embodiment, the depth Z may be large enough so that the heater and insulator (e.g., thermal insulator) can be substantially completely received within the recess 252. In another embodiment, the recess 252 can receive the heater and the insulator can be disposed on the top surface 255 of the body 240.

[0084] The recess 252 defines a base surface 256, which may be referred to as the heat-receiving surface. In some embodiments, the recess may be omitted and the top surface 255 may be the heat-receiving surface. The body 240 has a steam-forming region 260 defined between the base surface 256 of the recess 252 and the second side 248. The steam-forming region 260 has a thickness T of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. V In one embodiment, T V The diameter D of the recess 252 is about 1 mm. R and the thickness T of the vapor formation region 260. V and can be selected to optimize the heat flux density and the ratio of the surface area from which the aerosol precursor can be emitted relative to the volume of the vapor formation region into which the aerosol precursor can be staged.

[0085] 2, the vapor-forming region 260 extending from the base surface 256 to the second side 248 of the body 240 may be provided with one or more openings 270. The diameter D of the openings AThe openings 270 may range from about 0.1 mm to about 0.9 mm, or may be about 0.35 mm, although other dimensions are also contemplated. The openings 270 are provided in the porous body 240 to increase the exposed surface area through which the aerosol precursor can be released into vapor. In addition to selecting the size of each opening 270, the quantity and arrangement of the openings can be varied to optimize efficient release of the aerosol. The efficiency of aerosol release can be determined based on factors such as the power required to heat the fluid transport element 236 versus the volume of aerosol precursor being vaporized. The openings 270 can all be approximately the same size, or their dimensions can vary. For example, relatively small openings can be located near the center of the vapor formation region 260 and relatively large openings can be located near the periphery of the vapor formation region, or vice versa. The openings 270 can be randomly arranged or in various ordered arrangements, such as a square grid, concentric circles, or by aligning the openings along radial lines of the circular base surface 256.

[0086] The spacing of the openings 270 may also vary. Closely spaced openings 270 may be spaced apart by 0.5*D A The widely spaced openings may be separated by a thickness of about D A The cumulative surface area of ​​the ends of the openings 270 relative to the total area of ​​the base surface 256 can also vary from about 90% open area to about 10% open area or less, disregarding the porosity of the body 240 itself. For example, in some embodiments, the openings 270 may not be present at all, in which case the percentage of open area is defined as zero. The use of openings 270 can facilitate heat transfer from the heater through convection and conduction to provide more uniform heating of the fluid transport element 236 or help avoid overheating of the heater or fluid transport element. When openings 270 are used to increase the surface area, alternative surface defects such as pockets, cavities, grooves, ribs, protrusions, or convexities may be provided in the steam-forming region 260 of the second side 248 to similarly increase the surface area exposed to the second side 248 of the body 240.

[0087] FIG. 3 shows heater 234 configured to present a substantially planar heating surface 280 configured to face and be adjacent to the heat-receiving surface of fluid transport element 236 (e.g., base surface 256 or absorbent pad, if present). In one embodiment, heating wire 282 is disposed along a substantially planar surface to provide a substantially flat heating element. In one embodiment, the heating element may be sandwiched between highly thermally conductive materials such as ceramics (alumina, zirconia, beryllia, etc.). In one embodiment, heating wire 282 is formed as a conductive trace printed or otherwise deposited on the surface of a flat disk 283 made of ceramic or other heat-resistant material. The periphery of heater 234 can be configured similarly to the shape and diameter of base surface 256 ( FIG. 2 ), such that heater 234 can substantially reside within recess 252 adjacent to or in contact with the base surface to transfer heat from heating surface 280 of heater 234 to vapor-forming region 260 of fluid transport element 236. In some embodiments, the radius R of the heater 234 is smaller than the diameter D of the recess 252. R In one embodiment, the heater 234 may be a stamped heater according to U.S. Pat. No. 9,491,974, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0088] The internal layout of the heating wire 282 within the planar arrangement is not particularly limited with respect to the tracing of the heating wire, the number of coils thereof, or the resulting spacing between adjacent portions of the heating wire. Again, the heating wire 282 may be on or inset from the heating surface 282.

[0089] The heater 234 may further include electrical leads 284 for providing positive and negative electrical connections to the heater. The electrical leads 284 may be integrally formed with the heating wire 282 or may be separate elements that may be attached to the heating wire (e.g., by welding or using a connector). The location of the leads 284 is not particularly limited. The leads 284 may be positioned adjacent to one another or may be separated from one another.

[0090] An exploded view of the fluid transport element 236 and heater 234 is shown in FIG. 4. Electrical and thermal insulators 288, such as sheet mica or similar insulating material, may also be provided. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the insulator 288 may be provided on the first side 244 of the body 240 and configured to substantially surround the heater 234 within the recess 252. The electrical leads 284 may be seen to pass through or around the insulator 288 to form an electrical connection with a power source. The insulator 288 may be dimensioned and sized to fit the heater 234 within the recess 252, or the insulator may have a larger diameter and be disposed along the top surface 255 of the body 240.

[0091] The combination of the transport element 226, heater 234, and optional insulator 288 provides the atomizer 290. As can be seen in Figure 4, the heater 234 can be configured to reside within a recess 252 in the fluid transport element 236. In this configuration, energy from the heater 234 is focused on a relatively small surface area of ​​the vapor-forming region 260 of the body 240.

[0092] In one or more alternative embodiments, the heating wire 282 of the heater 234 can be provided in the form of a mesh or screen heater, which can be effective for increasing heater surface area coverage on the porous monolithic fluid transport element 236. Again, the heater 234 can be configured to contact at least a portion of the first side 244, such as the base surface 256, of the fluid transport element, and the heater is in the form of a conductive mesh. As used herein, the terms mesh and screen are interchangeable and are meant to refer, among other things, to a network of intersecting conductive filaments. Thus, a conductive mesh can be interpreted as a network and / or intertwined structure of conductive filaments. The conductive filaments can be formed from any suitable conductive material, such as those listed elsewhere herein for forming heaters. In one or more embodiments, the conductive filaments can be at least partially interwoven with non-conductive filaments or similar materials.

[0093] When the heater 234 is formed from a conductive mesh, it can define a regular pattern of conductive filaments forming a parallelogram or other shape consistent with the mesh configuration. The conductive filaments can, among other things, surround an insulating space. The insulating space can be empty (e.g., insulated by air) or at least partially filled with an insulator. The insulating space can be configured to have a defined area such that the heating capacity of the heater is increased and the amount of power supplied to the heater is reduced. In some embodiments, the insulating space is about 0.01 μm 2 ~approximately 2mm 2 In a further embodiment, the insulating spaces may have an average individual area of ​​about 0.05 μm 2 ~about 1.5mm 2 , about 0.1μm 2 ~about 1mm 2 , about 0.25μm 2 ~about 0.5mm 2 or about 0.5 μm 2 ~about 0.1mm 2 In some embodiments, the insulating spaces may have an average individual area of ​​about 0.005 mm 2 ~approximately 2mm 2 , approximately 0.01 mm 2 ~about 1.5mm 2 or approximately 0.02 mm 2 ~about 1mm 2 In some embodiments, the insulating spaces may have an average individual area in an upper range of about 0.01 μm 2 ~about 10μm 2 , about 0.02μm 2 ~approximately 5 μm 2 or approximately 0.05 μm 2 ~about 1μm 2 and the like.

[0094] The heating wire 282 or alternative conductive mesh is not limited to generating heat by resisting electrical current applied directly to it. The heating wire 282 or conductive mesh can similarly be configured to generate heat via induced and eddy currents in the presence of an alternating magnetic field without direct electrical connection to a power source. For induction heating, other types of materials can be used as heating elements, such as ferritic steel, ferromagnetic ceramics, and aluminum.

[0095] In a further embodiment, the nebulizer 290, as shown in FIG. 4, can be included in an aerosol delivery device 300 (FIG. 6), which can include a tank 304. A perspective end view of a tank 304 suitable for combination with the nebulizer 290 is shown in FIG. 5. The tank 304 can include an outer body or shell 303 defining a reservoir 344 configured to store a liquid aerosol precursor 345 (FIG. 6). The tank 304 can include at least one air intake 308. In the illustrated embodiment, the air intakes 308 are circumferentially spaced and extend radially from the periphery of the tank 304. The air intake 308 leads to a chamber 310 along a shelf 318 or to a chamber 310 recessed below the top of the shelf 318. In either case, the end of the tank 304 is designed to avoid mixing between the air path and the liquid in the reservoir 344. The lumen 314 may extend from the chamber 310 through the reservoir 304 to the mouthpiece 327 (FIG. 6) to allow the entrainment of air leaving the aerosol delivery device 300. One or more holes 316 allow access to the reservoir 344. The holes 316 may be formed in a shelf 318 disposed around the cavity 310. The shelf 318 may include one or more annular rings 320 protruding axially therefrom. The annular rings 320 may be configured to engage a mating groove (516, FIG. 8) to help seal the liquid transport element to the reservoir 304.

[0096] As shown in Figure 6, the sprayer 290 can be mounted on the shelf 318. The aerosol precursor 345 can exit the reservoir through one or more of the holes 316 (Figure 5) and be absorbed by the porous fluid transport element 236. Alternatively, as described below, the fluid transport element can be coupled with an absorbent pad between the heater and the fluid transport element to absorb the aerosol precursor. When the heater 234 is activated, the aerosol precursor composition is vaporized and drawn into the chamber 310 through the opening 270 or wicked up from the second side 248 of the porous fluid transport element 236.

[0097] In the illustrated embodiment, air drawn through the air intake 308 entrains the formed vapor (e.g., in the form of an aerosol where the formed vapor mixes with the air) from the chamber 310 through the lumen 314 to the mouthpiece 327. The air flow path P from the intake 308 to the mouthpiece 327, shown by a dotted line in FIG. 6 , passes along the second side 248 of the fluid transport element 236. In the illustrated embodiment, the air flow path P does not penetrate or pass around the fluid transport element 236, and does not penetrate the opening 270. Instead, a pressure differential caused by the drawing of air from the air intake 308 across the outlet of the opening 270 and flowing from the mouthpiece 327 forms within the chamber 310, which draws the generated aerosol from the opening 270 into the chamber 310, where the aerosol is entrained in the airflow. The pressure differential can also help further wick the aerosol precursor 345 from the reservoir 344 into the fluid transport element 236. As shown, reservoir 344 can be substantially tubular, with the aerosol passing through the reservoir along airflow path P. The outer shape of reservoir 344 can match the shape of shell 303, which is not limited to a cylindrical tube but can include other external shapes with a central lumen or other lumen therethrough. Other configurations of elements are also contemplated. Tank 304 can include connector 340 for connecting the tank to a control body or power unit (e.g., element 102 in FIG. 1 ). Connector 340 can have a structure similar to base 140 shown in FIG. 1 or any additional structure suitable for connecting tank 304 to a control body / power unit. While not shown, it is understood that an electrical connector is included to provide electrical connection between heater 234 and a battery (e.g., element 110 in FIG. 1 ) or other power delivery device. Any of the relevant elements from aerosol delivery device 100 in FIG. 1 can be included in aerosol delivery device 300.

[0098] The use of at least two separate heaters can be beneficial for improving vapor generation. Specifically, a first heater can be used to preheat the liquid to vaporize it within the fluid transport element, and a second heater can be used to actually vaporize the liquid. Preheating can reduce the total power and / or absolute temperature and / or heating time required to provide a desired amount of vapor. For example, the external heater can be a preheater, and the internal heater can be a vaporization heater. Additionally or alternatively, at least two separate heaters can be disposed on the outer surface of the fluid transport element. One heater can function as a preheater, and the other heater can function as a vaporization heater. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a preheater (not shown) can be disposed between heater 234 (which can function as a vaporization heater) and reservoir 344. The preheater may preheat the liquid aerosol precursor composition flowing from reservoir 344 to vaporization heater 234 so that the vaporization heater can more easily achieve vaporization as described above, and / or the preheater may reduce the viscosity of the liquid aerosol precursor composition to improve the flow of liquid from the reservoir to the vaporization heater. In Figure 6, the second heater disposed between heater 234 and reservoir 344 may be a mesh heater as described herein, a simple wire coil, or any other type of heater useful for preheating liquid in a fluid transport element.

[0099] 7 and 8, exploded views of a sprayer 490 according to a second embodiment are shown. The sprayer 490 may include an insulator 488, which may be substantially similar to the insulator 288 of the first embodiment. The sprayer 490 may include a heater 434, which may be substantially similar to the heater 234 of the first embodiment described above. The sprayer 490 may include a highly absorbent pad 504, which may include a fibrous material suitable for absorbing and wicking the liquid aerosol precursor composition. Suitable materials for the pad 504 include silica, ceramic, or cotton. The pad 504 may include an optional central opening 508.

[0100] The sprayer 490 further includes a fluid transport element 436 according to a second embodiment, which is a non-porous monolith formed from ceramic, metal, or polymer. The fluid transport element 436 can be configured to transport fluid without relying on its porosity. The fluid transport element 436 has a body 440 having a first side 444 and a second side 448. The thickness between the first side 444 and the second side 448 can be substantially thinner than other dimensions of the body 440, such that the body can be considered substantially flat. In the illustrated embodiment, the body 440 is circular and thus can be described as a disk. Other peripheral shapes, such as rectangles, hexagons, triangles, other regular and irregular polygons, ellipses, and other shapes, are also contemplated.

[0101] 7, the first side 444 includes a recess 452 formed or otherwise provided in the body 440. The recess 452, when present, can define a base surface 456. In other embodiments, the recess may not be present.

[0102] One or more passages 458 may be provided near the periphery of the body 440, extending between the second side 448 and the first side 444. The passages 458 are configured to provide a conduit for the aerosol precursor composition 345 (FIGS. 6 and 9) to flow from the reservoir 344 (FIGS. 6 and 9) to the first upper side 444 of the fluid transport element 436, e.g., from its periphery into the recess 452. When the body 440 is engaged with the tank 404 (FIG. 9), the passages 458 may be understood to be positioned to correspond to the holes 316 (FIG. 5). The number of holes 316 and the number of passages 458 may be selected depending on the required flow rate of the liquid aerosol precursor composition. The edges of the passages 458 on the first side 444 may abut the periphery of the base surface 456 or may protrude into the base surface.

[0103] The aerosol precursor composition 345 then migrates into the space between the base surface 456 and the heater 434, such as by being wicked up by the absorbent pad 504, or may flow freely into said space if the absorbent pad is omitted, so that the aerosol precursor composition may come into direct contact with the heater. When the heater 434 is energized, the collected aerosol precursor composition is aerosolized and passes through opening 470 through the fluid transport element 436 into the chamber 410 (FIG. 9) where it may be entrained in the airflow along the air flow path P (FIG. 9).

[0104] In one embodiment, opening 470 may be substantially similar to opening 270 described above. When porous pad 504 is present, opening 470 may have an increased size range, for example, from about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm.

[0105] In some embodiments, the openings 470 include a central opening 472. The central opening 472 may be larger than the remaining openings 470. The central opening may have a size of about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the central opening 472 is pierced by a raised protrusion 474 extending from the base surface 456 of the body 440. The protrusion 474 may act to inhibit leakage of the liquid aerosol precursor composition from the pad 504 into the central opening 472. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 474 includes at least one recess 476 formed in its exterior. The recess 476 may allow aerosol to be released from the absorbent pad 504 toward the central opening 472. In other embodiments, the raised protrusion 474 may not be present. It is understood that the raised protrusion 474 pierces the central opening 508 of the absorbent pad 504. If the protrusion 474 is omitted, the central opening 508 may be similarly omitted or left without a protrusion.

[0106] In one embodiment, base surface 456 is also formed with standoffs 512 formed around the periphery of the base surface. Standoffs 512 can support heater 434 and maintain a desired gap between the heater and base surface 456. The gap receives the aerosol precursor composition. The gap can range in size from about 0.1*Z to about 0.75*Z, where Z (FIG. 2) is the depth of recess 452. The height of the gap can also correspond to the height reached by passage 458 on base surface 456.

[0107] In one embodiment, the second side 448 ( FIG. 8 ) of the body 440 is provided with a groove 516. The groove 516 can facilitate contact and engagement between the body 440 and the tank 404 ( FIG. 9 ) to help form a mechanical seal to prevent leakage of the liquid aerosol precursor into the chamber 410. For example, the engagement can include engagement between the groove 516 and the annular ring 320 ( FIG. 5 ) described above.

[0108] In one or more instances, a value set forth herein may be characterized by the word "about." When a value is "about" a stated amount, it is understood to indicate that the stated amount may be exactly the stated value, or may vary from the stated value by up to 5%, up to 2%, or up to 1%.

[0109] Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present disclosure is not 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. a fluid transport element comprising a rigid monolith having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; heater A sprayer comprising: the heater comprises a substantially planar heating surface; The atomizer is positioned such that the heated surface faces the first side of the rigid monolith.

2. 10. The nebulizer of claim 1, wherein the rigid monolith is formed from a porous material capable of wicking the aerosol precursor composition adjacent the heated surface by capillary action.

3. 3. The nebulizer of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rigid monolith is formed from a substantially non-porous material, and wherein the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from a first side to a second side to provide a conduit for vaporized aerosol precursor.

4. The sprayer of claim 3 , wherein the fluid transfer element further comprises an absorbent pad along the first side of the rigid monolith.

5. 4. The nebulizer of claim 3, wherein the rigid monolith further comprises at least one passageway adjacent its periphery, providing a conduit for the liquid aerosol precursor to travel from the second side to the first side of the rigid monolith.

6. the rigid monolith having a recess formed in a first side; The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating surface is arranged to face the base surface of the recess.

7. The sprayer of claim 6 , wherein the rigid monolith includes at least one opening extending from the base surface to the second side surface.

8. 8. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the at least one opening comprises a centrally located opening.

9. 9. The atomizer of claim 8, wherein the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings, a centrally located opening having a larger diameter than the remaining openings of the plurality of openings.

10. 9. The sprayer of claim 8, wherein the base surface includes a projection having a centrally located opening therethrough.

11. 7. The atomizer of claim 6, wherein the recess has a depth greater than about 30% of the thickness of the rigid monolith.

12. The atomizer of any one of claims 5 to 11, further comprising an absorbent pad disposed in the recess between the heating surface and the base surface.

13. 13. The atomizer of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the heater comprises at least one heating element selected from the group comprising a heater wire, a conductive mesh, and a conductive trace printed on the surface of the substrate.

14. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising an insulator separate from the heater.

15. 15. The atomizer of claim 14, wherein the insulator comprises mica.

16. An aerosol delivery device comprising a nebulizer according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. 17. The aerosol delivery device of claim 16, wherein the aerosol delivery device defines an air flow path from the air intake to the mouthpiece that passes along the second side of the rigid monolith.

18. 18. The aerosol delivery device of claim 17, wherein the rigid monolith comprises at least one opening extending from the first side to the second side, and the aerosol delivery device is configured such that vaporized aerosol precursor is drawn through the at least one opening by a pressure differential created by drawing air moving along an air flow path along the second side of the rigid monolith.

19. 18. The aerosol delivery device of claim 17, comprising a reservoir containing an aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol delivery device forming an air flow path from the air intake to the mouthpiece that passes through the reservoir.

20. 20. The aerosol delivery device of claim 19, wherein the rigid monolith further comprises a circumferential groove formed in a second side thereof, the groove configured to assist in sealing the rigid monolith to the reservoir.

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