Aerosol delivery system

Abstract

To provide an aerosol delivery system that facilitates a user to accurately know where to place their mouth and lips on a mouthpiece during use.SOLUTION: A mouthpiece (33) for an aerosol provision system may comprise at least one aerosol outlet channel (62) for delivering aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece comprising at least one thermal element (710) for controlling a temperature of a portion (705) of the mouthpiece, the portion may comprise an outer surface of the mouthpiece, the thermal element being configured to heat and cool the portion of the mouthpiece. In this way, the thermal element allows a user to be provided with a thermal feedback to their mouth, lips or tongue during operation of the aerosol provision system.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as, but not limited to, nicotine delivery systems (e.g., electronic cigarettes). [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic aerosol delivery systems often use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), or more generally, aerosol delivery devices. Such aerosol delivery systems typically contain an aerosolizable material (also referred to as an aerosol-generating material), such as a fluid or liquid reservoir containing a formulation, typically, but not necessarily, including nicotine, or a solid, such as a tobacco-based product, from which a vapor / aerosol is generated, e.g., through heated vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, aerosol delivery systems typically include a vaporizer (also referred to as an aerosol generator), e.g., a heating element, arranged to aerosolize a portion of the aerosolizable material to generate a vapor.

[0003] Once vapor is generated, it can pass through a flavoring material to add flavor to the vapor (if the aerosolizable material is not itself flavored), and the (flavored) vapor can then be delivered from the aerosol delivery system to the user via the mouthpiece.

[0004] A potential drawback of existing aerosol delivery systems and related aerosol delivery devices is that it may be difficult for individuals, particularly those with visual impairments, to understand certain features or operations of the aerosol delivery system and / or any aerosol delivery device thereof. Accordingly, various approaches are described herein that attempt to address or help alleviate some of the aforementioned problems through the use of a thermal element in the mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery system, which may be operable to provide thermal feedback to the user via the mouth, lips, or tongue.

[0005] It can also be difficult, especially for the visually impaired, for a user to know exactly where to place their mouth and lips on the mouthpiece during use. Accordingly, the approaches described herein also aim to make it easier for such users to know exactly how to best position their mouth and / or lips on the mouthpiece. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, the mouthpiece comprising at least one aerosol outlet channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece and at least one thermal element for controlling the temperature of a portion of the mouthpiece.

[0007] According to a second aspect of an embodiment, there is provided an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the aerosol delivery system comprising the mouthpiece of the first aspect, wherein the aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive an aerosol generated by the aerosol delivery system.

[0008] According to a third aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a method for controlling the temperature of a mouthpiece portion of an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the step of operating a thermal element of the mouthpiece to control the temperature of the mouthpiece portion.

[0009] It will be understood that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to various aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention and can be combined with these embodiments as appropriate and not just in the specific combinations described herein.

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view that schematically illustrates an aerosol delivery system including a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device (shown separately) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the cartridge components of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3A] 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3B] 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3C] 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 4A] 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views schematically illustrating a dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 4B] 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views schematically illustrating a dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5A] 2A and 2B are two perspective and plan views schematically illustrating an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5B] 2A and 2B are two perspective and plan views schematically illustrating an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5C] 2A and 2B are two perspective and plan views schematically illustrating an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 6A] 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views schematically illustrating a bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 6B] 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views schematically illustrating a bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 6A-6C are schematic diagrams illustrating a mouthpiece with a heating element that can be used with the aerosol delivery system described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of one type of heating element that may be used in the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of one type of heating element that may be used in the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 6A-6C are schematic diagrams illustrating a mouthpiece with an annular heating element that can be used with the aerosol delivery system described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 10A-10C are schematic diagrams illustrating an aerosol delivery system using a mouthpiece with a heating element, such as the mouthpiece of FIGS. 7-9, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Detailed Description of the Drawings Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are described / explained herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented in conventional manners and, for the sake of brevity, will not be described / explained in detail. Accordingly, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods described herein that are not described in detail can be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0013] The present disclosure relates to non-combustion aerosol delivery systems (such as e-cigarettes). According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the aerosolizable material that is a component of the aerosol delivery system (or its components) is not burned or combusted to facilitate delivery to a user. An aerosolizable material, sometimes referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material or aerosol precursor material, is a material that can generate an aerosol when activated, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may be flavored.

[0014] Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, with the understanding that these terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery systems. Note that electronic cigarettes are sometimes referred to as vaping devices or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), although the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not required.

[0015] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system is a hybrid device configured to generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosolizable materials, one or more of which may be heated. In some embodiments, the hybrid device includes a liquid or gel aerosolizable material and a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0016] In general, a (non-combustible) aerosol delivery system can include a cartridge / consumable portion and a body / reusable / aerosol delivery device portion configured to releasably engage the cartridge / consumable portion.

[0017] The aerosol delivery system may be provided with means for powering the vaporizer of the aerosol delivery system and may be provided with an aerosolizable material transfer element for receiving the aerosolizable material to be vaporized. The aerosol delivery system may be provided with a reservoir for containing the aerosolizable material and, in some embodiments, a further reservoir for containing a flavoring material for flavoring the vapor generated from the aerosol delivery system.

[0018] In some embodiments, the vaporizer may be a heater / heating element that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatiles from the aerosolizable material to form a vapor / aerosol. In some embodiments, the vaporizer can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat. For example, the vaporizer may be capable of generating a vapor / aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat, for example, via one or more of vibrational, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means.

[0019] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosolizable material that may include an active ingredient, a carrier component, and optionally one or more other functional ingredients.

[0020] The active ingredient can include one or more physiologically and / or olfactorily active ingredients included in the aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological and / or olfactory response in the user. The active ingredient can be selected from, for example, a dietary supplement, a nootropic, or a psychoactive substance. The active ingredient can be naturally derived or synthetically derived. The active ingredient can include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient can include components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco or another botanical substance. In some embodiments, the active ingredient is a physiologically active ingredient and can be selected from nicotine, nicotine salts (e.g., nicotine bitartrate / nicotine bitartrate), nicotine-free tobacco substitutes, other alkaloids such as caffeine, or mixtures thereof.

[0021] In some embodiments, the active ingredient is an olfactory active ingredient and, where local regulations permit, may be selected from "flavors" and / or "flavorings" that may be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory sensation in products for adult consumers. In some instances, such ingredients may be referred to as flavors, flavorings, flavoring materials, cooling agents, heating agents, and / or sweetening agents.These ingredients may be naturally derived flavoring materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical, etc.). Fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ira Nong ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, chili pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil of any species of Mentha genus, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, chili pepper, mace, damian marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners.The materials may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. The materials may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang ylang, sage, fennel, chili pepper, shochu, etc.). One or more of the following additives may be present in any suitable form, e.g., liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gaseous: mint oil (eg, mint oil of any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. These materials may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. These materials may be present in any suitable form, e.g., oil, liquid, or powder.

[0022] In some embodiments, the flavoring material (flavoring) can include menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavoring ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavoring ingredients extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes a sensory elicitor intended to achieve somatosensory sensations typically perceived chemically induced by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the scent or taste nerves, and can include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, and anesthetic effects. A suitable thermal effect agent can be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent can be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol WS-3.

[0023] The carrier component can include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol, hi some embodiments, the carrier component can include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0024] The one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0025] As previously mentioned, aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) can often comprise modular assemblies that include both a reusable portion (main body or aerosol delivery device) and a replaceable consumable (cartridge) portion. Devices that conform to this type of two-part modular configuration can generally be referred to as two-part devices. It is also common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongated shape. To provide a concrete example, certain embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can comprise this type of generally elongated two-part device that uses a consumable portion. However, it will be understood that the underlying principles described herein can equally be employed in other e-cigarette configurations, e.g., modular devices with three or more portions, as devices that conform to other overall shapes based, for example, on so-called box-mod high-performance devices that generally have a more box-like shape.

[0026] Accordingly, from the above, reference is made to Figure 1, which is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system (e-cigarette) 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Terms relating to the relative positions of various aspects of an e-cigarette (e.g., terms such as upper, lower, above, below, top, bottom, etc.) are used herein with reference to the orientation of the e-cigarette as shown in Figure 1 (unless the context dictates otherwise). However, it will be understood that this is merely for ease of explanation and is not intended to imply any required orientation of the e-cigarette during use.

[0027] The e-cigarette 1 (aerosol delivery system 1) comprises two main components: a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4. The aerosol delivery device 4 and cartridge 2 are shown separated in Figure 1 but are coupled together in use.

[0028] The cartridge 2 and the aerosol delivery device 4 are coupled by establishing a mechanical and electrical connection therebetween. The particular manner in which the mechanical and electrical connection is established is not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may be established in accordance with conventional techniques, for example, based on mechanical fastening using threads, bayonet screws, latches, or a friction fit, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts / electrodes to establish an electrical connection between the two parts as needed. In the exemplary cartridge for electronic cigarette 1 depicted in FIG. 1 , the cartridge includes a mouthpiece 33, a mouthpiece end 52, and an interface end 54, and is coupled to the aerosol delivery device by inserting interface end portion 6 into a corresponding receptacle 8 / receiving portion of the aerosol delivery device at the interface end of the cartridge. The interface end portion 6 of the cartridge includes a protrusion 56 that fits tightly against the receptacle 8 and engages with a corresponding detent on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 defining the receptacle 8 to provide a releasable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. An electrical connection is established between the aerosol delivery device and the cartridge via a pair of electrical contacts (not shown in FIG. 1 ) at the bottom of the cartridge and corresponding spring-loaded contact pins (not shown in FIG. 1 ) at the base of the receptacle 8. As previously mentioned, the particular manner in which the electrical connection is established is not important to the principles described herein, and in fact some implementations may not have any electrical connection between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device, for example, because the transmission of power from the reusable part to the cartridge can be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction technology).

[0029] The electronic cigarette 1 (aerosol delivery system) has a generally elongated shape extending along a longitudinal axis L. When the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device, the overall length (along the longitudinal axis) of the electronic cigarette in this example is approximately 12.5 cm. The overall length of the aerosol delivery device is approximately 9 cm, and the overall length of the cartridge is approximately 5 cm (i.e., there is approximately a 1.5 cm overlap between the interface end portion 6 of the cartridge and the receptacle 8 of the aerosol delivery device when they are coupled together). The cross section of the electronic cigarette is generally oval, being largest near the center of the electronic cigarette and curving and tapering toward the ends. The cross section near the center of the electronic cigarette is approximately 2.5 cm wide and approximately 1.7 cm thick. The end of the cartridge is approximately 2 cm wide and approximately 0.6 mm thick, and the other end of the electronic cigarette is approximately 2 cm wide and approximately 1.2 cm thick. The outer housing of the electronic cigarette is formed from plastic in this example. It will be understood that the particular size and shape of the electronic cigarette, and the materials from which the electronic cigarette is made, are not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may vary in different implementations, i.e., the principles described herein may be equally employed in electronic cigarettes having different sizes, shapes, and / or materials.

[0030] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery device 4 may be generally conventional in terms of its function and general construction techniques. In the example of FIG. 1 , the aerosol delivery device 4 comprises a plastic outer housing 10 including receptacle walls 12 defining a receptacle 8 for receiving the end of a cartridge, as previously described. The outer housing of the aerosol delivery device 4 in this example has a generally oval cross-section at the interface that matches the shape and size of the cartridge 2 and provides a smooth transition between the two portions. The receptacle 8 and the end portion 6 of the cartridge 2 are symmetrical through a 180-degree rotation, allowing the cartridge to be inserted into the aerosol delivery device in two different orientations. The receptacle walls 12 include two aerosol delivery device air inlet openings 14 (i.e., holes in the wall). These openings 14 are positioned to align with the cartridge's air inlet 50 when the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device. Different ones of the openings 14 align with the cartridge's air inlet 50 in different orientations. It will be understood that some implementations may not have any degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in only one orientation, while other implementations may have a greater degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in more orientations.

[0031] The aerosol delivery device further includes a battery 16 for providing operating power for the electronic cigarette, control circuitry 18 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the electronic cigarette, a user input button 20, an indicator light 22, and a charging port 24.

[0032] Battery 16 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, such as the type typically used in e-cigarettes and other applications requiring the delivery of relatively high current for relatively short periods of time. Battery 16 may be recharged through charging port 24, which may include, for example, a USB connector.

[0033] The input button 20 in this example is a conventional mechanical button, e.g., comprising a spring-loaded component that a user can press to establish electrical contact with underlying circuitry. In this regard, the input button can be considered an input device for detecting user input, e.g., to trigger aerosol generation, and the particular manner in which the button is implemented is not important. For example, other forms of mechanical or touch-sensitive buttons (e.g., based on capacitive or optical sensing technologies) can be used in other implementations, or a button may not be present and the device may rely on a puff detector to trigger aerosol generation.

[0034] Indicator lights 22 are provided to give the user visual indications of various characteristics associated with the e-cigarette, such as its operating status (e.g., on / off / standby) and other characteristics such as battery life or fault conditions. Generally in accordance with conventional techniques, different characteristics may be indicated, for example, through different colors and / or different flashing sequences.

[0035] The control circuit 18 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the electronic cigarette to provide conventional operational functions in accordance with established techniques for controlling electronic cigarettes. The control circuit (processor circuit) 18 can be thought of as logically comprising various subunits / circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the electronic cigarette. For example, depending on the functionality provided in different implementations, the control circuit 18 can comprise a power control circuit for controlling the supply of power from a battery / power source to the cartridge in response to user input, a user programming circuit for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, and other functional unit / circuit-related functions in accordance with the principles described herein and conventional operational aspects of electronic cigarettes, such as an indicator light display driver circuit and a user input detection circuit. It will be appreciated that the functionality of the control circuit 18 can be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more suitably configured application-specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit(s) / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality.

[0036] 2 is an exploded schematic perspective view (exploded along longitudinal axis L) of cartridge 2. Cartridge 2 includes housing portion 32, air channel seal 34, dividing wall element 36, outlet tube 38, vaporizer / heating element 40, aerosolizable material transfer element 42, plug 44, and end cap 48 having contact electrode 46. FIGS. 3-6 show some of these components in more schematic detail.

[0037] Figure 3A is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L, where housing portion 32 is at its narrowest. Figure 3B is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L, where housing portion 32 is at its widest. Figure 3C is a schematic view of the housing portion from interface end 54 along longitudinal axis L (i.e., viewed from below in the orientation of Figures 3A and 3B).

[0038] Figure 4A is a schematic perspective view of the dividing wall element 36 as seen from below, and Figure 4B is a schematic cross-section through the top of the dividing wall element 36 as seen from below.

[0039] Figure 5A is a schematic perspective view of plug 44 from above, Figure 5B is a schematic perspective view of plug 44 from below, and Figure 5C is a schematic view of plug 44 along longitudinal axis L as viewed from mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge (i.e., as viewed from above with respect to the orientation of Figures 1 and 2).

[0040] Figure 6A is a schematic perspective view of end cap 48 from above. Figure 6B is a schematic view of end cap 48 along longitudinal axis L as viewed from mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge (i.e., from above).

[0041] The housing portion 32 in this example includes an outer housing wall 64 and an inner housing tube 62, which in this example are formed from a single molding of polypropylene. The outer housing wall 64 defines the exterior of the cartridge 2, and the inner housing tube 62 defines a portion of the air channel through the cartridge. The housing portion is closed at the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge, except for a mouthpiece opening / aerosol outlet 60 of the mouthpiece 33, which opens at the interface end 54 of the cartridge and is in fluid communication with the inner housing tube 62. The housing portion 32 includes an opening in its side wall that provides the air inlet 50 for the cartridge. The air inlet 50 in this example is approximately 2 mm 2. The outer surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes the aforementioned protrusions 56 that engage corresponding detents on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 defining the receptacle 8 to provide a releasable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. The inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion includes a further protrusion 66 that acts to provide an abutment stop for locating the dividing wall element 36 along the longitudinal axis L when the cartridge is assembled. The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 further includes an aperture that provides a latch recess 68 positioned to receive a corresponding latch protrusion 70 on the end cap to secure the end cap to the housing portion when the cartridge is assembled.

[0042] The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes a double-walled portion 74 that defines a gap 76 that is in fluid communication with the air inlet 50. The gap 76 provides a portion of an air channel through the cartridge. In this example, the double-walled portion 74 of the housing portion 32 is arranged such that the gap defines an air channel that extends within the outer housing wall 64 parallel to the longitudinal axis and has a cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of approximately 3 mm. 2 The air channel gap / portion 76 defined by the double walled portion of the housing portion extends downward to the open end of the housing portion 32.

[0043] The air channel seal 34 is a silicone molding generally in the form of a tube having a through-hole 80. The outer wall of the air channel seal 34 includes a peripheral ridge 84 and an upper collar 82. The inner wall of the air channel seal 34 also includes a peripheral ridge, but these are not visible in FIG. 2 . When the cartridge is assembled, the air channel seal 34 is attached to the inner housing tube 62, the end of which extends partially into the through-hole 80 of the air channel seal 34. The through-hole 80 of the air channel seal has a diameter of approximately 5.8 mm in the relaxed state, and the end of the inner housing tube 62 has a diameter of approximately 6.2 mm to form a seal when the air channel seal 34 is stretched to accommodate the inner housing tube 62. This seal is facilitated by the ridges on the inner surface of the air channel seal 34.

[0044] The outlet tube 38 comprises a tubular section made, for example, from ANSI 304 stainless steel or polypropylene, with an inner diameter of approximately 8.6 mm and a wall thickness of approximately 0.2 mm. The lower end of the outlet tube 38 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 88, with a semicircular recess 90 at the end of each slot. When the cartridge is assembled, the outlet tube 38 is attached to the outer surface of the air channel seal 34. The outer diameter of the air channel seal is approximately 9.0 mm in its relaxed state so that it forms a seal when the air channel seal 34 is compressed to fit within the outlet tube 38. This seal is facilitated by a ridge 84 on the outer surface of the air channel seal 34. A collar 80 on the air channel seal 34 provides a stop for the outlet tube 38.

[0045] The aerosolizable material transfer element 42 comprises a capillary wick, and the vaporizer (aerosol generator) 40 comprises a resistance wire heater wrapped around the capillary wick. In addition to the portion of resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick, the vaporizer includes an electrical lead 41 that passes through a hole in the plug 44 to contact an electrode 46 attached to the end cap 54, allowing power to be supplied to the vaporizer via an electrical interface established when the cartridge is connected to an aerosol delivery device. The vaporizer lead 41 can comprise the same material as the resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick, or can comprise a different material (e.g., a low-resistivity material) connected to the resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick. In this example, the heater coil 40 comprises nickel-iron alloy wire, and the wick 42 comprises a glass fiber bundle. The vaporizer and aerosolizable material transfer element may be provided according to any conventional technique and may comprise different forms and / or different materials. For example, in some implementations, the wick can comprise a fibrous or solid ceramic material, and the heater can comprise a different alloy. In other examples, the heater and wick may be combined, for example, in the form of a porous material and a resistive material. More generally, it will be understood that the particular nature of the aerosolizable material transport element and vaporizer is not of primary importance to the principles described herein.

[0046] When the cartridge is assembled, the wick 42 is received in a semicircular recess 90 in the outlet tube 38 so that the central portion of the wick around which the heating coil is wrapped is inside the outlet tube and the end portions of the wick are outside the outlet tube 38.

[0047] The plug 44 in this example comprises a single molded piece of silicone and may be resilient. The plug comprises a base 100 with an outer wall 102 extending upwardly from the base 100 (i.e., toward the mouthpiece end of the cartridge). The plug further comprises an inner wall 104 that extends upwardly from the base 100 and surrounds a through-hole 106 therethrough.

[0048] An outer wall 102 of plug 44 conforms to the inner surface of housing portion 32, such that when the cartridge is assembled, plug 44 forms a seal with housing portion 32. An inner wall 104 of plug 44 conforms to the inner surface of outlet tube 38, such that when the cartridge is assembled, plug 44 also forms a seal with outlet tube 38. Inner wall 104 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 108, the end of each slot having a semicircular recess 110. Extending outwardly (i.e., away from the longitudinal axis of the cartridge) from the bottom of each slot in inner wall 104 is a cradle portion 112 that is shaped to receive a portion of aerosolizable material transfer element 42 when the cartridge is assembled. The slot 108 and semicircular recess 110 defined by the inner wall of the plug 44 are aligned with the slot 88 and semicircular recess 90 of the outlet tube 38, such that the slot 88 of the outlet tube 38 receives a respective one of the cradles 112, and the respective semicircular recesses of the outlet tube and plug cooperate to define an aperture through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes. The size of the aperture defined by the semicircular recess through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes closely corresponds to the size and shape of the aerosolizable material transfer element, but is slightly smaller, thus providing a degree of compressibility due to the resilience of the plug 44. This allows the aerosolizable material to be transported along the aerosolizable material transfer element by capillary action, while limiting the extent to which aerosolizable material not transported by capillary action can pass through the aperture. As previously mentioned, the plug 44 includes an additional opening 114 in the base 100 through which the vaporizer contact lead 41 passes when the cartridge is assembled. The bottom of the plug base includes spacers 116 that maintain the offset between the remaining surface of the base bottom and the end cap 48. These spacers 116 include openings 114 through which the vaporizer electrical contact leads 41 pass.

[0049] The end cap 48 comprises a polypropylene molding with a pair of gold-plated copper electrode posts 46 attached thereto.

[0050] The end of electrode post 44 at the bottom of the end cap is flush with and adjacent to cartridge interface end 54 provided by end cap 48. This end of the electrode post is part of the electrode, and when cartridge 2 is assembled and connected to aerosol delivery device 4, a correspondingly aligned spring-loaded contact of aerosol delivery device 4 connects to this portion. The end of the electrode post within the cartridge extends away from end cap 48 into hole 114 in plug 44 through which contact lead 41 passes. The electrode post is slightly oversized relative to hole 114 and includes a chamfer at its upper end to facilitate insertion of the plug into hole 114, where it is maintained in pressure contact with the vaporizer contact lead by the plug.

[0051] The end cap has a base portion 124 and an upstanding wall 120 that fits against the inner surface of the housing portion 32. The upstanding wall 120 of the end cap 48 is inserted into the housing portion 32 so that, when the cartridge is assembled, the latch projections 70 engage the latch recesses 68 in the housing portion 32 to snap the end cap 48 into the housing portion. The upper portion of the upstanding wall 120 of the end cap 48 abuts against the peripheral edge of the plug 44, and the lower surface of the plug spacer 116 also abuts against the plug base portion 124, thus pressing against the resilient portion 44 and maintaining it under slight compression when the end cap 48 is attached to the housing portion.

[0052] A base portion 124 of the end cap 48 includes a peripheral lip 126 that extends beyond the base of the upstanding wall 112, the thickness of which corresponds to the thickness of the outer wall of the housing portion at the interface end of the cartridge. The end cap may also include an upstanding locating pin 122 that aligns with a corresponding locating hole 128 in the plug to help establish their relative position during assembly.

[0053] The divider wall element 36 comprises a unitary molding of polypropylene and includes a divider wall 130 and a collar 132 formed by a protrusion extending from the divider wall 130 toward the interface end of the cartridge. The divider wall element 36 has a central opening 134 through which the outlet tube 38 passes (i.e., the divider wall is disposed around the outlet tube 38). In some embodiments, the divider wall element 36 can be formed integrally with the outlet tube 38. When the cartridge is assembled, the upper surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44 engages the lower surface of the divider wall 130, which in turn engages the protrusion 66 on the inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32. The divider wall 130 therefore prevents the plug from being pushed too far into the housing portion 32; i.e., the divider wall 130 is fixedly positioned along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge by the protrusion 66 of the housing portion, thus providing the plug with a fixed surface to press against. A collar 132 formed by a projection from the dividing wall includes a first pair of opposing projections / tangs 134 that engage corresponding recesses in the inner surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44. The projection from the dividing wall 130 further provides a pair of cradle portions 136 configured to engage a corresponding one of the cradle portions 112 of the part 44 when the cartridge is assembled to further define an opening through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes.

[0054] When the cartridge is assembled, an air channel is formed that extends through the cartridge from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol outlet 60. Starting at the air inlet 50 in the sidewall of the housing portion 32, a first portion of the air channel is provided by a gap 76 formed by the double-walled portion 74 of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 and extends from the air inlet 50 toward the interface end 54 of the cartridge and beyond the plug 44. A second portion of the air channel is provided by the gap between the base of the plug 44 and the end cap 48. A third portion of the air channel is provided by a hole 106 through the plug 44. A fourth portion of the air channel is provided by the area within the inner wall 104 of the plug and the outlet tubing around the vaporizer 40. This fourth portion of the air channel is sometimes referred to as the aerosol / aerosol-generation region and is the primary region where aerosol is generated during use. The air channel from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol-generation region is sometimes referred to as the air inlet portion of the air channel. A fifth portion of the air channel is provided by the remaining portion of the outlet tubing 38. A sixth portion of the air channel is provided by an outer housing inner tube 62 that connects the air channel to an aerosol outlet 60 located at the end of the mouthpiece 33. The portion of the air channel from the aerosol-generation region that provides the aerosol outlet is sometimes referred to as the aerosol outlet portion of the air channel.

[0055] Additionally, when the cartridge is assembled, a reservoir 31 for aerosolizable material is formed by the space outside the air channel and inside the housing portion 32. This may be filled during manufacturing, for example, through a fill hole that is subsequently sealed, or by other means. The specific nature of the aerosolizable material, e.g., with respect to its composition, is not of primary importance to the principles described herein; generally, any conventional aerosolizable material of the type typically used in electronic cigarettes can be used. This disclosure may refer to a liquid as the aerosolizable material, which may be a conventional e-liquid, as previously described. However, the principles of this disclosure apply to any aerosolizable material that is capable of flowing and may include a liquid, a gel, or a solid, with respect to a solid being considered capable of flowing when multiple solid particles are considered as a bulk.

[0056] The reservoir is closed at the interface end of the cartridge by plug 44. The reservoir includes a first region above dividing wall 130 and a second region below dividing wall 130 within the space formed between the air channel and the outer wall of the plug. The aerosolizable material transfer element (capillary wick) 42 passes through an opening in the wall of the air channel provided by the engaging semicircular recesses 108, 90 of plug 44 and outlet tube 38 and cradle portions 112, 136 of plug 44 and dividing wall element 36, as previously described. Thus, the end of the aerosolizable material transfer element extends into the second region of the reservoir, from which it draws aerosolizable material through the opening in the air channel and into vaporizer 40 for subsequent vaporization.

[0057] In normal use, cartridge 2 is coupled to aerosol delivery device 4, which is activated to supply power to the cartridge via contact electrode 46 on end cap 48. Power is then sent to vaporizer 40 through connecting lead 41. The vaporizer is thus electrically heated, thereby vaporizing a portion of the aerosolizable material from the aerosolizable material transport element near the vaporizer. This generates an aerosol in the aerosol-generating region of the air passage. The aerosolizable material vaporized from the aerosolizable material transport element is replaced by more aerosolizable material drawn from the reservoir by capillary action. While the vaporizer is operating, the user draws air into mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge. This draws air through whichever aerosol delivery device air inlet 14 is aligned with the cartridge air inlet 50 (depending on the orientation of the cartridge inserted into the aerosol delivery device receptacle 8). Air then enters the cartridge through air inlet 50, travels along gap 76 in double-walled portion 74 of housing portion 32, passes between plug 44 and end cap 48, and then through hole 106 in base 100 of plug 44 into the aerosol-generating region surrounding vaporizer 40. The incoming air mixes with the aerosol generated from the vaporizer to form condensed aerosol, which is then drawn along outlet tube 38 and housing portion interior 62 before exiting through mouthpiece outlet / aerosol outlet 60 for the user to inhale.

[0058] 1-6B above show possible embodiment configurations of an aerosol delivery system 1 configured to generate an aerosol suitable for use in the context of the present disclosure (among other possible forms of aerosol delivery systems).

[0059] 7-10 , the present disclosure also provides a mouthpiece 33 that may be usable with any of the cartridges 2, aerosol delivery devices 4, or aerosol delivery systems described herein, such as any of the embodiments described in FIGS. 1-6B . Thus, at a general level, the mouthpiece 33 may include a thermal element 710, such as a heater and / or cooler, for controlling the temperature of a portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33. Thus, at a general level, the thermal element 710 may be configured to provide thermal feedback to a user of the mouthpiece 33. In this manner, during operation of the aerosol delivery system when the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 is in contact with the user's lips / mouth, the user may be made aware of operations or events in the aerosol delivery system via appropriate thermal feedback delivered in time to the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 by the thermal element 710. Thus, with the above in mind, it can be seen that the provision of the thermal element 710 may enable an improved user experience when using the aerosol delivery system 300 by varying the temperature of the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 due to several different factors, which will be described in more detail below. Therefore, introducing a thermal element 710 into the mouthpiece 33 can help improve the operability / usefulness of the aerosol delivery system 300.

[0060] According to the present disclosure, the thermal element 710 in some embodiments can be configured to provide either heating, cooling, or a combination of both.

[0061] When the thermal element 710 is configured for heating, the thermal element 710 according to some embodiments may comprise an electrical resistor disposed in a portion of the mouthpiece 33 to heat the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33. This arrangement benefits from simple implementation due to the compact nature of the electrical resistor and the ease of access to such components. The electrical resistor is also easily controlled by the aerosol delivery device 4 / control circuit 18 to apply a desired amount of thermal energy by adjusting the voltage or current through the resistor or by adjusting the time that the current passes through the resistor.

[0062] In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the electrical resistor may take the form of an electrical coil, which has the advantage of allowing for heating of a large surface area, providing greater flexibility in heating portions of the mouthpiece 33.

[0063] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the electrical resistor may take the form of a mesh-like component disposed in portion 705 of mouthpiece 33. This configuration has the advantage that the heating element 710 can more closely conform to the contours of portion 705 of mouthpiece 33, providing more uniform heating.

[0064] As previously mentioned, alternatively or additionally, the thermal element 710 may be configured for cooling. For example, in very specific embodiments, the cooling effect can be achieved by providing a Peltier module 800 in the mouthpiece 33. As shown in FIG. 8A, the Peltier module utilizes the Peltier effect to create a heat flux at the junction of two dissimilar conductors, namely, a p-type conductor 825 and an n-type conductor 810. As shown in FIG. 8A, the conductors 810, 825 are connected together by conductive contacts 805. A Peltier module is a solid-state active heat pump capable of transferring heat from one side of the module to the other by consuming electrical energy. As shown in FIG. 8A, the Peltier module 800 has two sides (a "hot" side 815 and a "cold" side 820) separated by an interconnect layer that may include one or more conductor junctions 830 connected in series.

[0065] When a DC current 835 is applied in one direction through the Peltier module, the first face 820 of the module is cooled (thus forming the "cold" side) and the second face 815 of the module is heated (thus forming the "hot" side).

[0066] As shown in FIG. 8B, when DC current 835 is applied in the opposite direction to that of FIG. 8A, the operation of the module is also reversed, with first surface 820 heating and second surface 815 cooling.

[0067] It will therefore be appreciated that Peltier module 800 may be advantageously configured to provide both a heating effect and a cooling effect to portion 705 of mouthpiece 33 when incorporated into mouthpiece 33 .

[0068] Moving away from the operation of the thermal element 710 and returning to the position of the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33, it will be appreciated that the portion 705 may be located anywhere on the mouthpiece 33 so that the user of the mouthpiece 33 can appropriately feel any heating or cooling during use. In this case, according to some embodiments, the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 can advantageously include at least one outer surface of the mouthpiece 33. This means that the user can directly contact (e.g., with their lips and / or mouth, or with one or both hands) the portion 705 acted upon by the thermal element 710 when using the aerosol delivery system. Thermal feedback regarding the operation of the aerosol delivery system 300 can therefore be given to the user through the outer surface of the mouthpiece 33. In this regard, it should also be noted that for embodiments in which the user's contact is intended to be via the lips, according to some embodiments, this outer surface of the mouthpiece 33 may be a contoured surface or a contoured recess, the shape of which is configured to at least partially fit the shape of a person's lips so as to maximize the contact area between this outer surface and the user's mouth / lips during use.

[0069] It should be understood that in other implementations, the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 may include multiple heating elements 710. Multiple heating elements 710 may be activated together to effectively increase the heating area (i.e., a larger area of ​​the mouthpiece's exterior surface is heated / cooled). Alternatively or additionally, multiple heating elements 710 may be individually controlled to produce any desired heating / cooling effect. For example, multiple heating elements 710 may be positioned and / or controlled to produce a thermal gradient in one of multiple directions across the mouthpiece's exterior surface. The specific nature of the heating / cooling pattern may provide even more complex feedback to the user.

[0070] With respect to the above embodiment, and possibly other embodiments, so that the effect of the thermal element 710 can be more easily felt by the user's mouth when the portion 705 is in use, according to some embodiments (such as that shown in the embodiment of FIG. 7 ), the thermal element 710 can be positioned 50 mm or less from at least one of the mouthpiece opening (or aerosol outlet 60) of the mouthpiece 33 and / or the mouthpiece end 52 of the aerosol delivery system or cartridge 2 using the mouthpiece 33. According to some thinner embodiments, the thermal element 710 can be positioned 45 mm or less, 40 mm or less, 35 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 25 mm or less, and / or 20 mm or less from at least one of the mouthpiece opening (or aerosol outlet 60) of the mouthpiece 33 and / or the mouthpiece end 52. Here, the expression “or less” can be understood to mean that at least one portion 711 of the thermal element 710 is the specified distance D1 or less, rather than necessarily the entire thermal element 710 being the specified distance or less.

[0071] According to some embodiments, such as that shown in the embodiment of Figure 9, portion 705 of mouthpiece 33 and / or thermal element 710 may at least partially or completely surround any provided aerosol exit channel 62 (such as tube 62 shown in the embodiments with respect to Figures 1-6B and 7-10) or mouthpiece end 52 of mouthpiece 33. In this manner, portions of mouthpiece 33 may be positioned such that portion 705 may be adjacent different peripheral areas of the user's lips when the user is using mouthpiece 33.

[0072] Similarly, according to some embodiments (such as that shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9), portion 705 can include a first outer surface 33A on a first side of mouthpiece 33 and / or can include a second outer surface 33B on a second side of mouthpiece 33. In some particular embodiments, first side 33A can be opposite first side 33B of mouthpiece 33.

[0073] 9 , to facilitate portion 705 being particularly well-suited for heating the user's mouth area, portion 705 (and / or including any first outer surface 33A and / or second first outer surface 33B thereof) can include at least one surface of mouthpiece 33 that is sloped toward aerosol outlet 60 located at end 52 of mouthpiece 33. Thus, in very particular embodiments, portion 705 can include first outer surface 33A on a first side of mouthpiece 33 and second outer surface 33B on a second side of mouthpiece 33, each of first outer surface 33A and second outer surface 33B sloped toward end 52 of mouthpiece 33.

[0074] According to some particular embodiments, any such end 52, i.e., for example, the mouthpiece end 52 shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2, can be positioned between the first outer surface 33A and the second outer surface 33B (as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9).

[0075] Similarly, according to some embodiments (such as that shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9 ), portion 705 can comprise an annular portion that extends around aerosol exit channel 62 and / or mouthpiece end 52. Thus, in such embodiments, portion 705 can be disposed between end 52 of mouthpiece 33 and interface end portion 6 of any cartridge 2 that includes mouthpiece 33, as shown in the illustrated embodiment.

[0076] Regarding the geometry of mouthpiece end 52, in some embodiments, it can define a generally flat surface surrounding aerosol outlet 60, as shown, for example, in the embodiment of FIG.

[0077] To assist any user of the mouthpiece in identifying the location of portion 75 (e.g., as the user approaches the mouthpiece to place their mouth over it), some embodiments of the mouthpiece may include at least one indicia for identifying the location of portion 705. It will be appreciated that the nature of each such indicia can vary widely. For example, in some embodiments, the at least one indicia may include a tactile indicia, such as a protrusion or recess. Thus, in some embodiments, the indicia may protrude or be recessed from the outer surface of mouthpiece 33, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9.

[0078] Similarly, according to some embodiments, the at least one indicia may include a visual indicia, such as a portion of a sentence or a graphical symbol 706A. It will be apparent that according to some embodiments, the indicia may include a combination of tactile and visual indicia, such as raised or recessed sentences and / or raised or recessed graphical symbols.

[0079] Additionally / alternatively, with respect to the at least one indicia, according to some embodiments, the at least one indicia 706 may include a portion 705 colored in a first color 707 (e.g., other than black, such as gray, orange, red, or white, or even colorless) that is different from the color (e.g., black) of a second portion 709 of the mouthpiece 33 that surrounds the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33.

[0080] Continuing with any at least one indicia used, it will also be appreciated that, according to some embodiments, the at least one indicia may include portion 705 made from a material (e.g., a metal or metal alloy, such as copper or aluminum, in some very specific embodiments) that is different from the material (e.g., a plastic, such as polycarbonate or polypropylene, in some very specific embodiments) of a second portion 709 of mouthpiece 33 that surrounds portion 705 of mouthpiece 33. According to some embodiments, the material of portion 705 may have a higher thermal conductivity than the material of second portion 709 so as to more fully contain any heating or cooling effect from thermal element 710 to the vicinity of portion 705.

[0081] Additionally, with respect to at least one indicia, in some embodiments the indicia may be oriented toward end 52 of mouthpiece 33 (as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9, with the sentence "Place your lips here" oriented toward end 52 of mouthpiece 33) to help the user more easily interpret the indicia when attempting to use the mouthpiece.

[0082] According to further embodiments using at least one indicia, in some embodiments, portion 705 can define at least one recess, and the at least one indicia includes at least one recess. In this manner, in some particular embodiments, each recess can be configured to allow a user of the mouthpiece to at least partially receive their lips therein. Thus, in this manner, use of each such recess can effectively allow a user to quickly position their lips in a predetermined, correct position around mouthpiece 33 and around portion 705 by placing their lips in the recess.

[0083] Apart from providing any indicia to identify the location of portion 705, the aerosol exit channel 62 of mouthpiece 33 may, according to some embodiments, be configured to be thermally insulated from the thermal element 710 and portion 705 of mouthpiece 33. This advantageously ensures that the heating or cooling effect of the thermal element 710 does not adversely affect the temperature of any aerosol in the aerosol exit channel 62. In other words, by thermally insulating the temperature change caused by the thermal element 710, the temperature of the aerosol in the vapor exit channel 62 remains unaffected. Such thermal insulation can be achieved, for example, in very specific embodiments, by providing a layer of insulating material (e.g., polyurethane) between the thermal element 710 and the aerosol exit channel 62. Alternatively, thermal insulation can be more fully achieved by positioning the thermal element 710 4 mm or more, 6 mm or more, 8 mm or more, and / or 10 mm or more away from the vapor exit channel 62.

[0084] According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , mouthpiece 33 may optionally include a sensor, such as pressure sensor 91, configured to generate sensor data used in controlling operation of thermal element 710. In particular, the sensor may be configured to enable activation of thermal element 710 based on sensor data determined to satisfy one or more predetermined criteria. According to the above-described embodiments, activation of sensor 91 activates thermal element 710, which may result in an increase or decrease in temperature of portion 705 of mouthpiece 33, depending on the configuration of thermal element 710. It should be apparent that any such sensor, such as pressure sensor 91, may be located in a number of different locations. For example, according to the embodiment of FIG. 9 , sensor 91 may be located on the exterior surface of mouthpiece 33 and / or may be annular so that any part of the user's mouth can contact the sensor (this may be particularly useful if the sensor is configured to act as a pressure sensor to detect the presence of the user's mouth or as a different type of sensor configured to determine a characteristic of the user's mouth, such as temperature). In some very specific embodiments, portion 705 may include sensor 91.

[0085] In connection with the optional provision of such a sensor 91, according to some embodiments, the mouthpiece may additionally or alternatively include a switch 91, which according to some embodiments may be lip-actuable to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. Such operation may be of several different types, for example, according to some embodiments, operation of the aerosol generator 40 and / or operation to control power supplied to the aerosol generator 40. As shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, according to some embodiments, the switch may be located on at least one of the outer surfaces 33A, 33B. Similarly, according to some embodiments, a portion may include the switch 91.

[0086] As shown in Figure 10, the mouthpiece 33 disclosed in the above-described embodiments can form part of an aerosol delivery device or system for generating an aerosol, and according to some embodiments, the aerosol outlet channel 62 of the mouthpiece 33 is configured to receive an aerosol generated in an aerosol delivery system 300, such as the aerosol delivery system described with reference to Figures 1-6B above. The aerosol delivery system can include a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4 configured to receive the cartridge 2, the cartridge 2 comprising the mouthpiece 33. According to some embodiments, any provided aerosol delivery device 4 may instead comprise a mouthpiece 33, and any such aerosol delivery device 4 need not necessarily use a cartridge 2.

[0087] According to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system can further include control circuitry 18 configured to determine whether to generate an output signal to operate the thermal element, and to generate the output signal in response to determining that an output signal should be generated. In this manner, the thermal element 710 can be selectively activated in response to a control signal generated by control circuitry 18, which itself can be generated in response to a number of different stimuli, as described in more detail below.

[0088] For example, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system may further include sensors 91, 92 for generating sensor data, with control circuitry 18 configured to receive the sensor data from sensors 91, 92 and process the sensor data to determine whether to generate an output signal, thereby providing a means for providing feedback to a user regarding the parameter measured by sensors 91, 92 by activating thermal element 710 based on the measurement of the parameter.

[0089] According to some embodiments, the sensor can include a temperature sensor 92, and the sensor data can include a temperature value indicative of the temperature. For example, the sensed temperature can be the ambient temperature of the environment surrounding the aerosol delivery system 300. In this case, the thermal element 710 provides feedback to the user regarding the ambient temperature. In other examples, the sensed temperature can be associated with a particular portion of the aerosol delivery system. For example, the temperature can be the temperature of the aerosol passing through the aerosol outlet channel 62, a reservoir (such as reservoir 31 shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6B), or any other portion of the aerosol delivery system.

[0090] According to some embodiments, an output signal is generated to increase the temperature of portion 705 of mouthpiece 33 in response to control circuit 18 determining that the temperature value is below a predetermined temperature. Thus, in this case, thermal element 710 can provide a heating effect that can be implemented in any of the ways previously described.

[0091] As described with respect to some embodiments, the temperature value may be indicative of the ambient temperature of the environment surrounding the aerosol delivery system. Accordingly, the thermal element 710 may be configured to heat the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 based on the temperature sensor 92 determining that the ambient temperature has dropped below a predetermined threshold. This may be particularly advantageous when operating the aerosol delivery system in cold weather, as the mouthpiece 33 may otherwise be uncomfortably cold to the user. Thus, by heating the mouthpiece 33 during cold ambient temperatures, the disclosed mouthpiece with a thermal element can improve the usability of the aerosol delivery system.

[0092] According to some embodiments, an output signal may be generated to reduce the temperature of portion 705 of mouthpiece 33 in response to control circuit 18 determining that the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, in which case thermal element 710 provides a cooling effect that may be implemented in any of the ways previously described.

[0093] As previously mentioned, the temperature value may be indicative of the ambient temperature of the environment surrounding the aerosol delivery system. Accordingly, the thermal element 710 may be configured to cool the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33 based on the temperature sensor 92 determining that the ambient temperature has risen above a predetermined threshold. This may be particularly advantageous when operating the aerosol delivery system during warm weather, as the mouthpiece 33 may otherwise become uncomfortably hot to the user. Thus, by cooling the mouthpiece 33 during warm ambient temperatures, the disclosed mouthpiece with a thermal element may improve the usability of the aerosol delivery system.

[0094] As previously mentioned, it is contemplated that, according to some embodiments, any thermal element incorporated into mouthpiece 33 may be capable of both heating and cooling mouthpiece 33. Thus, according to some specific embodiments, thermal element 710 may be configured to heat portion 705 of mouthpiece 33 based on a temperature value dropping below a predetermined threshold and to cool portion 705 of mouthpiece 33 based on a temperature rise above the predetermined threshold. This configuration is particularly advantageous in that it uses the same component for both heating and cooling, rather than separate components. This allows for more economical use of space within the mouthpiece and reduces power consumption from power supply 16 of the aerosol delivery system. Additionally, using the same component for both functions simplifies control circuitry 18.

[0095] It will be apparent that according to some embodiments, the aforementioned predetermined temperature thresholds may be the same temperature value, or according to other embodiments, the predetermined thresholds may comprise different values ​​such that there is a temperature range within which the thermal element will not be activated.

[0096] It will be apparent that, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system can include a reservoir 31 for storing aerosol-generating material. In this case, the sensor data may be indicative of the amount of aerosol-generating material remaining in the reservoir 31, and the control circuitry 18 may be configured to use the sensor data to determine whether the amount of aerosol-generating material remaining in the reservoir 31 is less than a predetermined amount and to generate an output signal in response to determining that the amount of aerosol-generating material remaining in the reservoir 31 is less than the predetermined amount. Thus, the disclosed aerosol delivery system may be able to provide feedback regarding the level of material remaining in the reservoir 31 without the need for manual inspection or a separate visual cue, such as an LED. This also provides a more operationally efficient means of communicating the reservoir level to the user, as the user can identify the reservoir level by simply touching the mouthpiece 33 with their lips (as occurs during normal use of the aerosol delivery system), as opposed to removing any used cartridge 2 for visual inspection or inspection of the aerosol delivery system's LED or display.

[0097] According to some embodiments, optional control circuitry 18 may be further configured to determine the composition of the aerosol-generating material in reservoir 31, generate a first output signal for operating at least one heating element 710 in response to determining that the composition matches a first composition, and generate a second output signal different from the first output signal in response to determining that the composition matches a second composition different from the first composition. In this manner, the aerosol delivery system may be configured to provide different heat outputs depending on the detected composition of the aerosol-generating material in reservoir 31. For example, the heat output of heating element 710 may be configured to "match" the flavor of the detected composition. Thus, a warmer flavor, such as one including coffee or vanilla, may correspond to a heating element 710 that imparts heat to mouthpiece 33. Similarly, a cooler flavor, such as one including mint or menthol, may correspond to a heating element 710 that imparts a cooling effect to mouthpiece 33. The aerosol delivery system can thus provide the user with an enhanced flavor perception while simultaneously providing feedback to the user about the flavor of the aerosol-generating material in reservoir 31. It should be noted that, according to such an embodiment, the aerosol delivery system does not necessarily need to generate vapor in order to provide thermal feedback in this manner, allowing the user to identify the type of flavor without inhaling the generated vapor.

[0098] According to some embodiments, the control circuitry 18 may be further configured to generate an output signal in response to determining that the aerosol delivery system has been operated for a time period that exceeds a predetermined threshold amount. In this manner, the user may receive thermal feedback regarding how long the system has been operated. The time period may be measured in several different ways. For example, the period may be measured from the last time the system was powered on, from the beginning of the day, from when the cartridge was first inserted, etc.

[0099] After a predetermined threshold amount of time has passed, the thermal element 710 may be configured to heat the mouthpiece 33 to indicate to the user that the threshold has been reached, or alternatively, may provide a cooling effect to convey the same information.

[0100] Once a predetermined threshold amount of time has passed, the amount of heating / cooling can be increased to indicate that more time has passed since the threshold was exceeded.

[0101] Instead of waiting a predetermined threshold amount of time before activating the thermal element 710, the amount of heating / cooling may be gradually increased from the beginning until the predetermined threshold amount of time has elapsed, thereby providing the user with continuous feedback as to how long the device has been used.

[0102] According to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 4 can include the control circuitry 18 described above.

[0103] According to some embodiments, there is provided a cartridge 2 for an aerosol delivery system 300 comprising a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4, the cartridge 2 comprising the mouthpiece 33 described above.

[0104] With reference to the above disclosure, it will be appreciated that a corresponding method of controlling the temperature of the mouthpiece 33 portion of the aerosol delivery system is also provided, the method including operating a thermal element of the mouthpiece 33 to control the temperature of the mouthpiece 33 portion. Generally, with this method, the thermal element 710 provides the user with feedback regarding the operation of the aerosol delivery system 300 by contacting the mouthpiece 33 portion with the user's lips / mouth. Furthermore, the use of the thermal element 710 can improve the user's experience when using the aerosol delivery system by varying the temperature of the mouthpiece portion due to several different factors. Thus, the use of the thermal element 710 on or in the mouthpiece 33 can help improve the operability / usability of the aerosol delivery system.

[0105] In some embodiments, the method may further include using a control circuit 18 of the aerosol delivery system 300 to determine whether to generate an output signal for operating at least one thermal element, using the control circuit 18 to generate an output signal in response to the control circuit 18 determining that an output signal should be generated, and operating the thermal element 710 in response to the thermal element receiving the output signal.

[0106] In a manner similar to the embodiments described with respect to the aerosol delivery system 300 disclosed herein, the thermal element 710 may be selectively operable in response to control signals generated by the control circuit 18 in response to a number of different stimuli.

[0107] For example, according to some embodiments, the method may further include receiving sensor data from sensor 91 of aerosol delivery system 300 and processing the sensor data to determine whether to generate an output signal. This provides a way to provide feedback to a user regarding the parameter measured by sensor 91 by activating thermal element 710 based on the measurement of the parameter.

[0108] Thus, with reference to the above disclosure, several different possible implementations of a thermal element are described for use in a mouthpiece 33 configured for use in any of the aerosol delivery devices or systems described herein.

[0109] With regard to the above disclosure, it can also be understood that, particularly when at least one indicia is used, the use of this at least one indicia can result in providing a mouthpiece that can appropriately indicate to a user the appropriate, predetermined position in which the user should place their lips when placing their lips around the mouthpiece. In this regard, the presence of this indicia can facilitate the user to position their lips around the mouthpiece in an optimal position to receive any aerosol from the aerosol outlet channel(s) 62 of the mouthpiece 33. In this regard, again, any such at least one indicia can be particularly useful in indicating to the user where to place their lips on the mouthpiece, i.e., the position of the portion 705, so long as the mouthpiece 33 can then further comprise a thermal element 710 for controlling the temperature of the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33, so that the user's lips can then experience a temperature change in the portion 705 during use of the mouthpiece 33.

[0110] In this case, therefore, a mouthpiece 33 for the aerosol delivery system 300 is also described herein, the mouthpiece 33 having at least one aerosol outlet channel 62 for delivering aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece 33, at least one outer surface 33A, 33B having a portion 705 configured to receive the lips of a user of the mouthpiece 33 when the aerosol is being delivered through the at least one aerosol outlet channel 62, and at least one indicia 706A, 707 for identifying the position of the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33.

[0111] In such instances, it will be appreciated that if any such mouthpiece 33 is used to indicate to a user the appropriate predetermined position for placing their lips when the user places their lips around the mouthpiece, then the mouthpiece according to such an embodiment need not necessarily include the thermal element 710 described herein.

[0112] With the foregoing in mind, therefore, there is described a mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system comprising at least one aerosol outlet channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece, and comprising at least one thermal element for controlling the temperature of portions of the mouthpiece.

[0113] Also described is an aerosol delivery system comprising a mouthpiece, wherein the aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive an aerosol generated by the aerosol delivery system.

[0114] A cartridge for an aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising a mouthpiece, is also described.

[0115] Also described is a method of controlling the temperature of a mouthpiece portion of an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising operating a heating element of the mouthpiece to control the temperature of the mouthpiece portion.

[0116] Also described is a mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, the mouthpiece comprising at least one aerosol outlet channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece, at least one exterior surface comprising a portion configured to receive the lips of a user of the mouthpiece when the aerosol is being delivered through the at least one aerosol outlet channel, and at least one indicia for identifying the location of the portion of the mouthpiece.

[0117] Also described is an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising any of the aforementioned mouthpieces, wherein the aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive the aerosol generated by the aerosol delivery system.

[0118] Also described is a cartridge for an aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising any of the mouthpieces described above.

[0119] Also described are embodiments set forth in the following numbered paragraphs: 1. A mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: at least one aerosol exit channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece; at least one exterior surface including a portion configured to receive the lips of a user of the mouthpiece when aerosol is being delivered through the at least one aerosol outlet channel; At least one marking to identify the location of the mouthpiece parts; A mouthpiece comprising: 2. The mouthpiece described in item 1, wherein the at least one marking includes at least one of a protrusion or a recess. 3. The mouthpiece according to item 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the indications includes a tactile indication. 4. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein at least one indication includes a visual indication. 5. The mouthpiece of any one of items 1 to 4, wherein at least one indicia includes a portion that is colored differently from the color of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece. 6. The mouthpiece of any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein at least one indicia includes a portion made from a material that is different from the material of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece. 7. The mouthpiece according to paragraph 6, wherein the material of the first portion has a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the second portion. 8. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 5 to 7, wherein the second part is made of polypropylene or polycarbonate. 9. The mouthpiece of any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, wherein the portion at least partially surrounds the aerosol exit channel. 10. The mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, further comprising an outlet for receiving the aerosol from the aerosol outlet channel. 11. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein at least one outer surface is inclined toward an end of the mouthpiece. 12. The mouthpiece according to item 11, wherein the end of the mouthpiece is approximately flat. 13. A mouthpiece according to item 11 or 12 when further dependent on item 10, wherein an end of the mouthpiece is provided with an outlet. 14. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 11 to 13, wherein the portion is located 40 mm or less from the end of the mouthpiece. 15. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 11 to 14, wherein at least one indication includes a sentence or a graphic symbol. 16. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 11 to 16, wherein at least one marking faces an end side of the mouthpiece. 17. The mouthpiece of any one of paragraphs 1-16, wherein the portion defines at least one recess and the at least one indicia includes at least one recess. 18. The mouthpiece of paragraph 17, wherein each recess is configured to allow the lips of a user of the mouthpiece to be at least partially received therein. 19. The mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 18, wherein each of at least one outer surface is curved. 20. At least one outer surface is a first exterior surface on a first side of the mouthpiece; a second exterior surface on a second side of the mouthpiece; and Item 20. The mouthpiece according to any one of items 1 to 19, wherein the second side is opposite the first side. 21. The mouthpiece of paragraph 20, wherein at least one of the first and outer surfaces comprises a portion of the mouthpiece. 22. The mouthpiece of paragraph 20 or 21, wherein both of the first and outer surfaces comprise portions of the mouthpiece. 23. The mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 22, wherein at least one indicia is disposed on at least one outer surface. 24. The mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 23, wherein at least one marking is disposed on the portion. 25. The mouthpiece of any one of paragraphs 1 to 24, wherein the portion comprises a switch. 26. The mouthpiece of any one of paragraphs 1 to 25, wherein the switch comprises a lip-activatable switch. 27. The mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 26, further comprising a heating element for controlling the temperature of portions of the mouthpiece. 28. The mouthpiece of paragraph 27, wherein at least one heating element is configured to heat portions of the mouthpiece. 29. The mouthpiece of paragraph 27 or 28, wherein at least one heating element is configured to cool a portion of the mouthpiece. 30. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising a mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 29, wherein the aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive an aerosol generated by the aerosol delivery system. 31. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 30, further comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising a mouthpiece, the aerosol delivery system further comprising an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material, and the aerosol delivery system configured to deliver the aerosol generated from the aerosol generator to at least one aerosol outlet channel. 32. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 31, wherein the cartridge comprises the aerosol generator. 33. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 31 or 32, further comprising a reservoir for an aerosol-generating material, the reservoir configured to deliver the aerosol-generating material to an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. 34. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 33, wherein the cartridge comprises a reservoir. 35. A cartridge for an aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising a mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 29.

[0120] The mouthpiece 33 of the aerosol delivery system 300 is also described. The mouthpiece 33 includes at least one aerosol outlet channel 62 for delivering aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece 33. The mouthpiece 33 includes at least one thermal element 710 for controlling the temperature of a portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33. The portion 705 may include an outer surface of the mouthpiece 33, and the thermal element 710 may be configured to heat and cool the portion 705 of the mouthpiece 33. In this manner, the thermal element 710 may enable the user to provide thermal feedback, for example to their mouth, lips, or tongue, during operation of the aerosol delivery system 300.

[0121] To address various problems and advance the art, this disclosure illustrates, by way of example, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not intended to be exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are presented merely to aid understanding and to teach the claimed invention(s). It is understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limitations on the present disclosure as defined by the claims or to the equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. It is understood that various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and thus, features of the dependent claims can be combined with features of the independent claims in combinations other than those explicitly set forth in the claims. This disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

[0122] For example, with regard to how power may be supplied to any provided thermal element 710 (if a thermal element 710 is used), it will be understood that power may be supplied to the thermal element 710 using power supply 16 or by the thermal element 710's own power supply (not shown).

[0123] Similarly, with regard to the placement of any such thermal element 710 and / or sensor(s) 91 that may be used herein, it will be understood that their location may be anywhere in the aerosol delivery system 300 as needed to enable the sensor 91 to provide the required functionality.

[0124] Similarly, where the aerosol supply system 300 comprises a cartridge 2 and an aerosol supply device 4, the optional sensor(s) 91 may be located in either the cartridge 2 or the aerosol supply device 4 as required to enable the required function of the sensor.

[0125] For completeness' sake, with respect to any thermal element 710, sensor(s), or switch(es) 91, 92 used in an aerosol delivery device or system herein, it will be understood that a wired or wireless connection between the control circuit 18 and the respective thermal element 710 / sensor or switch 91, 92 can be used to provide any power or signal sent to the thermal element 710 / sensor or switch 91, 92. For example, in the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 10 , a wired connection is provided between the associated thermal element 710 and the control circuit 18, extending through contact electrodes 46 located on each of the aerosol delivery device 4 and cartridge 2, as shown in FIG. 6B , when the components are located on the cartridge 2 across interface end 54. The following provisions are included in this specification: [Article 1] 1. A mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: at least one aerosol exit channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of said mouthpiece; at least one heating element for controlling the temperature of the mouthpiece portion; A mouthpiece comprising: [Clause 2] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, wherein the at least one heating element is configured to heat the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 3] 3. The mouthpiece of clause 2, wherein the heating element comprises an electrical resistor disposed in the portion of the mouthpiece for heating the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 4] 4. The mouthpiece of clause 3, wherein the electrical resistor comprises an electric coil disposed in the portion of the mouthpiece for heating the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 5] 4. The mouthpiece of clause 3, wherein the electrical resistor comprises a mesh-like component disposed in the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 6] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, wherein the at least one thermal element is configured to cool the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 7] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, wherein the thermal element comprises a Peltier module. [Article 8] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, wherein the portion comprises an outer surface of the mouthpiece. [Article 9] 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the portion at least partially surrounds the aerosol outlet channel. [Article 10] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, further comprising an outlet for receiving an aerosol from the aerosol outlet channel. [Article 11] 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the portion comprises at least one marking for identifying the location of the portion. [Article 12] 12. The mouthpiece of clause 11, wherein the at least one indicia comprises a protrusion or recess. [Article 13] 12. The mouthpiece of clause 11, wherein the at least one indicia includes a portion of the mouthpiece that is colored differently than a color of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 14] 12. The mouthpiece of clause 11, wherein the at least one indicia includes a portion made from a material different from the material of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 15] 15. The mouthpiece of clause 14, wherein the different material has a thermal conductivity greater than the thermal conductivity of the material of the second portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 16] 12. The mouthpiece of clause 11, wherein the at least one indicia includes the portion of the mouthpiece having a first thermal conductivity that is higher than the thermal conductivity of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 17] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, wherein the mouthpiece has at least one outer surface that slopes toward an end of the mouthpiece. [Article 18] 18. The mouthpiece of clause 17, wherein the ends of the mouthpiece are generally flat. [Article 19] 18. The mouthpiece of clause 17, further comprising an outlet for receiving aerosol from the aerosol outlet channel, the end of the mouthpiece comprising the outlet. [Article 20] 18. The mouthpiece of clause 17, wherein at least one portion of the heating element is located no more than 40 mm from the end of the mouthpiece. [Article 21] 18. The mouthpiece of clause 17, wherein the at least one outer surface comprises the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 22] 18. A mouthpiece according to clause 17, wherein each outer surface is curved. [Article 23] 18. The mouthpiece of clause 17, wherein each outer surface defines a contoured recess having a shape configured to conform to the shape of a person's lips. [Article 24] The at least one outer surface is a first exterior surface on a first side of the mouthpiece; a second exterior surface on a second side of the mouthpiece; and 18. The mouthpiece of clause 17, comprising: [Article 25] 25. The mouthpiece of clause 24, wherein at least one of the outer surfaces comprises the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 26] 25. The mouthpiece of clause 24, wherein both the first outer surface and the second outer surface comprise the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 27] 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one aerosol outlet channel is configured to be thermally insulated from the heating element and the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 28] 10. The mouthpiece of clause 1, further comprising a sensor configured to generate sensor data for use in controlling operation of the at least one thermal element. [Article 29] 29. The mouthpiece of clause 28, wherein the sensor data includes pressure data. [Article 30] 1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: comprising the mouthpiece according to clause 1, An aerosol delivery system, wherein at least one aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive an aerosol generated by said aerosol delivery system. [Article 31] 31. The aerosol delivery system of clause 30, further comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising the mouthpiece. [Article 32] 31. The aerosol delivery system of clause 30, further comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the mouthpiece forming part of the aerosol delivery device. [Article 33] determining whether to generate an output signal to operate at least one thermal element; generating the output signal in response to determining that the output signal should be generated; and 31. The aerosol delivery system of clause 30, further comprising a control circuit configured to: [Article 34] further comprising a sensor for generating sensor data; The control circuit receiving the sensor data from the sensor; processing the sensor data to determine whether to generate the output signal; 34. The aerosol delivery system of clause 33, further configured to: [Article 35] 35. The aerosol delivery system of clause 34, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor and the sensor data includes a temperature value indicative of a temperature. [Article 36] 36. The aerosol delivery system of claim 35, wherein the output signal is configured to be generated to increase the temperature of the portion of the mouthpiece in response to the control circuit determining that the temperature value is less than a predetermined temperature. [Article 37] 35. The aerosol delivery system of claim 34, wherein the output signal is configured to be generated to reduce the temperature of the portion of the mouthpiece in response to the control circuit determining that the temperature value exceeds a predetermined threshold. [Article 38] 31. The aerosol delivery system of clause 30, further comprising a reservoir for storing the aerosol-generating material. [Article 39] further comprising a sensor for generating sensor data; The control circuit receiving the sensor data from the sensor; processing the sensor data to determine whether to generate the output signal; further configured to: the sensor data indicating the amount of aerosol-forming material remaining in the reservoir; The control circuit using the sensor data to determine whether the amount of aerosol-forming material remaining in the reservoir is less than a predetermined amount; generating the output signal in response to determining that the amount of aerosol-forming material remaining in the reservoir is less than the predetermined amount; 39. The aerosol delivery system of clause 38, further configured to: [Article 40] determining a composition of the aerosol-forming material in the reservoir; and generating a first output signal to operate the at least one thermal element in response to determining that the composition matches a first composition; generating a second output signal different from the first output signal in response to determining that the composition corresponds to a second composition different from the first composition; 39. The aerosol delivery system of clause 38, further comprising a control circuit configured to: [Article 41] 34. The aerosol delivery system of claim 33, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the output signal in response to determining that the aerosol delivery system has been operated for a period of time that exceeds a predetermined threshold amount. [Article 42] 34. The aerosol delivery system of clause 33, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the aerosol delivery device comprising the control circuit. [Article 43] A cartridge for an aerosol delivery system, the aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device for receiving the cartridge, the cartridge comprising a mouthpiece according to clause 1. [Article 44] 1. A method for controlling the temperature of a mouthpiece portion of an aerosol delivery system, comprising: The method includes operating at least one thermal element of the mouthpiece to control the temperature of the portion of the mouthpiece. [Article 45] determining, using a control circuit of the aerosol delivery system, whether to generate an output signal to operate the at least one thermal element; using the control circuitry to generate the output signal in response to the control circuitry determining that the output signal should be generated; operating the at least one thermal element in response to the thermal element receiving the output signal; 45. The method of clause 44, further comprising: [Article 46] receiving sensor data from a sensor of the aerosol delivery system; processing the sensor data to determine whether to generate the output signal; 46. ​​The method of clause 45, further comprising:

Claims

1. 1. A mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: at least one aerosol exit channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece; at least one exterior surface comprising a portion configured to receive the lips of a user of the mouthpiece when aerosol is being delivered through the at least one aerosol outlet channel; At least one indicia for identifying the location of a portion of the mouthpiece; A mouthpiece comprising:

2. The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the at least one indicia includes at least one of a protrusion or a recess.

3. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicia includes a tactile indicia.

4. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicia includes a visual indicia.

5. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicia comprises a portion that is colored differently than the color of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece.

6. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicia includes a portion made from a material that is different from the material of a second portion of the mouthpiece that surrounds the portion of the mouthpiece.

7. 7. The mouthpiece of claim 6, wherein the material of the first portion has a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the second portion.

8. The mouthpiece of claim 5 , wherein the second portion is made from polypropylene or polycarbonate.

9. The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the portion at least partially surrounds the aerosol exit channel.

10. The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein at least one outer surface is tapered toward an end of the mouthpiece.

11. 11. The mouthpiece of claim 10, wherein the portion is located no more than 40 mm from the end of the mouthpiece.

12. 11. The mouthpiece of claim 10, wherein the at least one indicia comprises a sentence or a graphic symbol.

13. 11. The mouthpiece of claim 10, wherein at least one indicia is oriented toward an end of the mouthpiece.

14. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the portion defines at least one recess and the at least one indicia includes the at least one recess.

15. 15. The mouthpiece of claim 14, wherein each recess is configured to allow the lips of a user of the mouthpiece to be at least partially received therein.

16. A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein each of at least one outer surface is curved.

17. The mouthpiece of claim 1 , wherein the portion comprises a switch.

18. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a lip-actuable switch.

19. 10. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising the mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive an aerosol generated by the aerosol delivery system.

20. 10. A cartridge for an aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising the mouthpiece of claim 1.

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