Susceptor device for induction heating aerosol delivery device

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device and an aerosol source component are provided for use with an induction heating aerosol delivery device. [Solution] The aerosol delivery device 100 comprises a control body 102 having a housing 118, a resonant transmitter 128 disposed within the control body, a control component 122 configured to drive the resonant transmitter, and an aerosol source member 104 including a base material portion 110 configured to be positioned within the range of a field radiated by the resonant transmitter, at least a portion of which is located. The base material portion may include a base material and one or more separators, one or more separators may be configured to separate the base material into a plurality of separate base material segments, and one or more separators may include a susceptor configured to be heated by the resonant transmitter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 744,479, entitled "Susceptor Arrangement for an Inductively-Heated Aerosol Delivery Device", filed on January 16, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol source member and an aerosol delivery device, and their use for generating tobacco components or other materials in an inhalable form. More specifically, the present disclosure utilizes electrically generated heat to heat a base material that can be made into tobacco or tobacco-derived materials, preferably without significant combustion, to provide a substance inhalable in the form of an aerosol for human consumption, and relates to aerosol source members and aerosol delivery devices and systems such as smoking articles.

Background Art

[0003] Many smoking articles have been proposed over the years as improvements or alternatives to smoking products based on burning tobacco. Exemplary alternatives include devices in which a solid or liquid fuel is burned to transfer heat to the tobacco or in which a chemical reaction is used to provide such a heat source. Examples include the smoking article described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] The objective of improving or replacing smoking products has typically been to provide the sensation associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. For this purpose, numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile substances or provide the sensation of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without significantly burning tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking products, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art of U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 by Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 by Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. For example, see also the various types of smoking products, aerosol delivery devices and electric heating sources referenced by trade names and commercial sources in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0220232 by Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, further types of smoking products, aerosol delivery devices and electric heating sources referenced by trade names and commercial sources are listed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245659 by DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Other representative cigarettes or smoking products described and, in some cases, commercially available are incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 and U.S. Patent No. 4,947,875 by Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 by Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 by Morgan et al., and U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 and U.S. Patent No. 4,947,875 by Counts et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594, U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 by Higgins et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 by Adams et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 by White, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 by Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 by Nichols, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 by Hon, U.S. Patent No. 7 by Kobayashi U.S. Patent No. 513,253, U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 by Hamano, U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 by Shayan, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0095311 by Hon, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006 / 0196518 by Hon, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0126745, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0188490, Thorens et al. This includes the specifications described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0272379, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0260641 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0260642 by Monsees et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008 / 0149118 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010 / 0024834 by Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 by Wang, and International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 by Hon.

[0005] Representative products that share many of the attributes of traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes include ACCORD(R) by Philip Morris Incorporated, ALPHA(TM), JOYE 510(TM), and M4(TM) by InnoVapor LLC, CIRRUS(TM) and FLING(TM) by White Cloud Cigarettes, BLU(TM) by Fontem Ventures BV, COHITA(TM), COLIBRI(TM), ELITE CLASSIC(TM), MAGNUM(TM), PHANTOM(TM), and SENSE(TM) by EPUFFER(R) International Inc., DUOPRO(TM), STORM(TM), and VAPORKING(R) by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc., EGAR(TM) by Egar Australia, eGo-C(TM) and eGo-T(TM) by Joyetech, ELUSION(TM) by Elusion UK Ltd, and Eonsmoke EONSMOKE(R) by LLC, FIN(TM) by FIN Branding Group, LLC, SMOKE(R) by Green Smoke Inc.USA, GREENARETTE(TM) by Greenarette LLC, HALLIGAN(TM), HENDU(TM), JET(TM), MAXXQ(TM), PINK(TM), and PITBULL(TM) by SMOKE STIK(R), HEATBAR(TM) by Philip Morris International, Inc., HYDRO IMPERIAL(TM) and LXE(TM) from Crown7, LOGIC(TM) and THE CUBAN(TM) by LOGIC Technology, LUCI(R) by Luciano Smokes Inc., METRO(R) by Nicotek, LLC, NJOY(R) and ONEJOY(TM) by Sottera, Inc., NO.7(TM) by SS Choice LLC, and PREMIUM ELECTRONIC by PremiumEstore LLC. CIGARETTE(TM), Ruyan America, Inc.RAPP E-MYSTICK(TM) by Red Dragon Products, LLC, RED DRAGON(TM) by Red Dragon Products, LLC, RUYAN(R) by Ruyan Group(Holdings)Ltd., SF(R) by Smoker Friendly International, LLC, GREEN SMART SMOKER(R) by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd., SMOKE ASSIST(R) by Coastline Products LLC, SMOKING EVERYWHERE(R) by Smoking Everywhere, Inc., V2CIGS(TM) by VMR Products LLC, VAPOR NINE(TM) by VaporNine LLC, VAPOR4LIFE(R) by Vapor 4 Life, Inc., VEPPO(TM) by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC, VUSE(R) by RJReynolds Vapor Company, Mistic Menthol products by Mistic Ecigs, and Vype products by CN Creative Ltd., Philip Morris IQOS™ is marketed by International, and GLO™ by British American Tobacco. Furthermore, other electric aerosol delivery devices, particularly those characterized as so-called e-cigarettes, are marketed under the brand names COOLER VISIONS™, DIRECT E-CIG™, DRAGONFLY™, EMIST™, EVERSMOKE™, GAMUCCI®, HYBRID FLAME™, KNIGHT STICKS™, ROYAL BLUES™, SMOKETIP®, and SOUTH BEACH SMOKE™. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0220232 Specification [Patent Document 6] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245659 [Patent Document 7] U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 [Patent Document 8] U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 [Patent Document 9] U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 [Patent Document 10] U.S. Patent No. 4,947,875 [Patent Document 11] U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 [Patent Document 12] U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 [Patent Document 13] U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 [Patent Document 14] U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 [Patent Document 15] U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 [Patent Document 16] U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 [Patent Document 17] U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 [Patent Document 18] U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 [Patent Document 19] U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 [Patent Document 20] U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 [Patent Document 21] U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 [Patent Document 22] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 23] U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 [Patent Document 24] U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 [Patent Document 25] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0095311 [Patent Document 26] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0196518 [Patent Document 27] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0126745 [Patent Document 28] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0188490 [Patent Document 29] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0272379 [Patent Document 30] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260641 [Patent Document 31] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260642 [Patent Document 32] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008 / 0149118 [Patent Document 33] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0024834 [Patent Document 34] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 [Patent Document 35] International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0007] Articles that produce the taste and sensation of smoking by electrically heating tobacco or tobacco-derived materials have suffered from inconsistent performance characteristics. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a smoking product that can provide the sensation of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe without substantial combustion, and that possesses favorable performance characteristics. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In various embodiments, this disclosure provides aerosol delivery devices and aerosol source components for use with aerosol delivery devices. This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary embodiments.

[0009] Exemplary Embodiment 1: Aerosol delivery device comprising: a control body having a housing; a resonant transmitter disposed within the control body; a control component configured to drive the resonant transmitter; and an aerosol source member including a substrate portion configured to be positioned within the range of a field radiated by the resonant transmitter, wherein the substrate portion includes a substrate material and one or more separators, the one or more separators configured to separate the substrate material into a plurality of separate substrate segments, and the one or more separators comprising one or more susceptors configured to be heated by the resonant transmitter.

[0010] Exemplary Embodiment 2: An aerosol delivery apparatus according to Exemplary Embodiment 1, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators separate the substrate material into a plurality of distinct longitudinal substrate segments.

[0011] Exemplary Embodiment 3: An aerosol delivery apparatus according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1-2, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators separate a substrate material into a plurality of distinct radial substrate segments.

[0012] Exemplary Embodiment 4: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 3, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators separate the substrate material into a plurality of longitudinal substrate segments and a plurality of radial substrate segments.

[0013] Exemplary Embodiment 5: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 4, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive porous disk.

[0014] Exemplary Embodiment 6: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 5, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators includes a conductive helical coil.

[0015] Exemplary Embodiment 7: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 6, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators includes a conductive gathered web.

[0016] Exemplary Embodiment 8: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 7, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the conductive gathered web comprises a multilayer sheet.

[0017] Exemplary Embodiment 9: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 8, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the multilayer sheet comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

[0018] Exemplary Embodiment 10: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 9, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material comprises a plurality of conductive particles mixed therein, and the plurality of conductive particles comprises an auxiliary susceptor configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter.

[0019] Exemplary Embodiment 11: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 10, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein a resonant transmitter and one or more separators are configured for segmented heating of a substrate material.

[0020] Exemplary Embodiment 12: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 11, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators contains a material selected from cobalt material, iron material, nickel material, zinc material, manganese material, stainless steel material, ceramic material, silicon carbide material, carbon material, and combinations thereof.

[0021] Exemplary Embodiment 13: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 12, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the conductive particles contain materials selected from cobalt materials, iron materials, nickel materials, zinc materials, manganese materials, stainless steel materials, ceramic materials, silicon carbide materials, carbon materials, and combinations thereof.

[0022] Exemplary Embodiment 14: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 13, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material contains cut filler tobacco material.

[0023] Exemplary Embodiment 15: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 14, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material contains extruded tobacco material.

[0024] Exemplary Embodiment 16: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 15, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material contains a reconstituted tobacco sheet material.

[0025] Exemplary Embodiment 17: An aerosol delivery device according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 1 to 16, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material comprises one or more tobacco beads and tobacco powder.

[0026] Exemplary Embodiment 18: Aerosol source member for use with an induction heating aerosol delivery device including a resonant transmitter, the aerosol source member comprising a base portion including a base material and one or more separators, at least a portion of the base portion being configured to be positioned within the range of a field radiated by the resonant transmitter, one or more separators being configured to separate the base material into a plurality of separate base segments, and one or more separators comprising a susceptor configured to be heated by the resonant transmitter.

[0027] Exemplary Embodiment 19: An aerosol source member according to Exemplary Embodiment 18, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators separate the substrate material into a plurality of distinct longitudinal substrate segments.

[0028] Exemplary Embodiment 20: An aerosol source member according to any of the exemplary embodiments 18-19, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators separate the substrate material into a plurality of distinct radial substrate segments.

[0029] Exemplary Embodiment 21: An aerosol source member according to any of the exemplary embodiments 18-20, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators separate the substrate material into a plurality of longitudinal substrate segments and a plurality of radial substrate segments.

[0030] Exemplary Embodiment 22: An aerosol source member according to any one of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 21, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

[0031] Exemplary Embodiment 23: An aerosol source member according to any of the exemplary embodiments 18 to 22, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive porous disk.

[0032] Exemplary Embodiment 24: An aerosol source member according to any of the exemplary embodiments 18 to 23, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive helical coil.

[0033] Exemplary Embodiment 25: An aerosol source member according to any of the exemplary embodiments 18 to 24, or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive gathered web.

[0034] Exemplary Embodiment 26: The conductive gathered web comprises a multilayer sheet, as described in any of Exemplary Embodiments 18-25, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments.

[0035] Exemplary Embodiment 27: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 26, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the multilayer sheet comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

[0036] Exemplary Embodiment 28: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 27, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material comprises a plurality of conductive particles mixed therein, the plurality of conductive particles comprising an auxiliary susceptor configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter.

[0037] Exemplary Embodiment 29: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 28, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material contains cut filler tobacco material.

[0038] Exemplary Embodiment 30: An aerosol source member according to any of the Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 29, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the tobacco material comprises an extruded tobacco material.

[0039] Exemplary Embodiment 31: An aerosol source member according to any of the Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 30, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material contains a reconstituted tobacco sheet material.

[0040] Exemplary Embodiment 32: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 31, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the tobacco substrate contains one or more tobacco beads and tobacco powder.

[0041] Exemplary Embodiment 33: An aerosol source member according to any of the exemplary embodiments 18-32, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein one or more separators are configured for segmented heating of a substrate material.

[0042] Exemplary Embodiment 34: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 33, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

[0043] Exemplary Embodiment 35: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 34, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more separators contains a material selected from cobalt material, iron material, nickel material, zinc material, manganese material, stainless steel material, ceramic material, silicon carbide material, carbon material, and combinations thereof.

[0044] Exemplary Embodiment 36: An aerosol source member according to any of Exemplary Embodiments 18 to 35, or any combination of any prior exemplary embodiments, wherein the conductive particles contain materials selected from cobalt materials, iron materials, nickel materials, zinc materials, manganese materials, stainless steel materials, ceramic materials, silicon carbide materials, carbon materials, and combinations thereof.

[0045] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the Disclosure will become apparent from reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the embodiments described above, and any combination of any two, three, four, or more features or elements described herein, whether such features or elements are expressly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The Disclosure is intended to be read in whole so that, in any of its various aspects and embodiments, any separable features or elements of the disclosed invention should be considered as intended to be combinable unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0046] While the above general terms have been used to describe this disclosure, here we will refer to the attached drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0047] [Figure 1] This shows a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device comprising a control body and an aerosol source member, in which the aerosol source member and the control body are coupled to each other, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the aerosol source member and the control body are separated from each other. [Figure 3] This shows a schematic front view of an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]This diagram shows a schematic representation of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This diagram shows a schematic representation of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This diagram shows a schematic representation of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7A] This diagram shows a schematic representation of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7B] Figure 7A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the substrate portion according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] This shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] This shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8C] This shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the base material portion of an aerosol source member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0048] This disclosure is described more fully below with reference to its exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described in a manner that completes this disclosure and fully conveys the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to satisfy the legal requirements to which this disclosure is applicable. Where used herein and in the appended claims, singular nouns such as “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to multiple subjects unless otherwise explicitly indicated in the context. Also, where this specification may refer to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships, etc., any one or more of these may be absolute or approximate to describe the acceptable variations that may occur, such as those due to technical tolerances, unless otherwise specified.

[0049] As described below, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery devices. Aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without burning the material to a significant degree) to form an inhalable substance, and the components of such systems have a most preferred form of article that is compact enough to be considered a handheld device. That is, the use of preferred aerosol delivery device components does not result in smoke generation in the sense that the aerosol is mainly produced from by-products of the combustion or thermal decomposition of tobacco, but rather the use of those preferred systems results in vapor generation resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated inside. In some exemplary embodiments, the components of aerosol delivery devices can be characterized as e-cigarettes, which most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0050] Certain preferred aerosol-generating components of an aerosol delivery device can provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the inhalation and exhalation ritual, the type of taste or flavor, the sensory stimulation effect, the physical feel, the ritual of use, the visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol) by igniting and burning tobacco (and thus by inhaling tobacco smoke) without any significant combustion of any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may hold and use its components in the same way a smoker uses a traditional type of smoking product, inhale one end of the component to inhale the aerosol generated by the component, smoke or inhale tobacco at selected time intervals, etc.

[0051] In this specification, the systems are generally described in relation to embodiments relating to aerosol delivery devices such as so-called “electronic cigarettes” or “tobacco heated products,” but it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods can be embodied in many different forms and associated with various articles. For example, the descriptions provided herein can be adopted in combination with relevant packaging embodiments for any of the conventional smoking products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), non-combustible heated tobacco, and the products disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the descriptions of mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are described only as examples relating to embodiments relating to aerosol delivery devices and may be embodied and used in various other products and methods.

[0052] The aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure can also be characterized as vapor products or drug delivery articles. Such articles or devices can therefore be configured to deliver one or more substances (e.g., flavorings and / or active ingredients of pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance may be substantially in vapor form (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may be in aerosol form (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For brevity, the term “aerosol” as used herein means including vapors, gases, and aerosols in forms or types suitable for human inhalation, whether visible and in a form that can be perceived as smoke. The physical form of the inhalable substance is not necessarily limited by the nature of the device of the present invention, but may depend on the properties of the medium and the inhalable substance itself in terms of whether it exists in a vapor or aerosol state. In some embodiments, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol” may be interchangeable. Therefore, for simplicity, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol” used to describe aspects of this disclosure are understood to be interchangeable unless otherwise specified.

[0053] During use, the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may be exposed to many of the physical actions performed by an individual when using conventional types of smoking products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, or pipes used by lighting and inhaling the tobacco). For example, a user of the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may hold the item like a conventional type of smoking product, inhale one end of the item to inhale the aerosol produced by the item, and smoke the tobacco at selected time intervals.

[0054] The aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure generally include a number of components housed within an outer body or shell, sometimes referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell can vary, and the form or configuration of the outer body, which can define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device, can vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be formed from a single, unified housing, or the elongated housing can be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, an aerosol delivery device can have a substantially tubular shape and thus comprise an elongated shell or body resembling the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In another example, an aerosol delivery device can be substantially rectangular or have a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In one example, all components of the aerosol delivery device are housed within a single housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device can comprise two or more joined and separable housings. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end, comprising a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a storage device such as a rechargeable battery and / or a rechargeable supercapacitor, and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the item), and at the other end, detachably connectable, an outer body or shell containing a disposable part (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing cartridge containing aerosol precursor material, fragrance, etc.). More specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of components within a single housing-type unit or a multi-piece separable housing-type unit will become apparent in light of further disclosures provided herein. Furthermore, considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, various aerosol delivery device designs and component arrangements can be understood.

[0055] As described in more detail below, the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure include several combinations of a power source (e.g., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for operating, controlling, regulating, and stopping power for heating, such as by controlling the flow of current from the power source to other components of the article, either individually or as part of a microcontroller), a heater or heating element (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element or other component and / or an induction coil or other related component and / or one or more radiant heating elements), and an aerosol source member including or comprising a substrate portion capable of generating an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied. In some embodiments, the aerosol source member may include a mouth end or tip configured to allow the aerosol delivery device to be inhaled for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article from which the generated aerosol can be drawn out upon inhalation). In other embodiments, the control body may include a mouthpiece configured to allow inhalation for aerosol inhalation.

[0056] The arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure can be modified. In certain embodiments, the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member may be positioned close to a heating member to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, the heating member may be positioned close enough to the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member so that heat from the heating member can volatilize the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member (and, in some embodiments, one or more flavorings, drugs, etc., which may also be provided for delivery to the user) to form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating member heats the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member, the aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. Please note that the terms "release," "releasing," "releases," or "released" are interchangeable, including "form or generate," "forming or generating," "forms or generates," and "formed or generated." Specifically, inhalable substances are released in the form of vapors, aerosols, or mixtures thereof, and such terms are also used interchangeably herein unless otherwise specified.

[0057] As described above, various embodiments of aerosol delivery devices can incorporate a power source (e.g., a battery or other electrical source) to supply sufficient current to provide various functions to the aerosol delivery device, such as supplying power to the heating element, supplying power to the induction coil, supplying power to the control system, and supplying power to the indicator. The power source can take various forms. Preferably, the power source can rapidly activate the heating element to provide aerosol formation and deliver sufficient power to power the aerosol delivery device through use for a desired duration. Preferably, the power source is sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled. Furthermore, a preferred power source is sufficiently lightweight so as not to impair the desired smoking experience.

[0058] More specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure will become apparent in light of the further disclosures provided below. Furthermore, considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, the selection of various aerosol delivery device components can be understood. Furthermore, the arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device can also be understood by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices.

[0059] As described above, an aerosol delivery device can be configured to generate an aerosol by heating an aerosol source member or a substrate portion of an aerosol source member. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include a heated tobacco device configured to heat an extruded structure and / or substrate in the form of a solid or liquid (e.g., beads, flakes, wrap, fibrous sheet, or paper), a substrate material related to an aerosol precursor composition, tobacco and / or tobacco-derived material (i.e., material directly isolated from tobacco or naturally found in synthetically prepared tobacco). Such an aerosol delivery device may include so-called e-cigarettes.

[0060] Regardless of the type of substrate material being heated, some aerosol delivery devices may include a heating element configured to heat the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member. In some devices, the heating element may be a resistive heating element. A resistive heating element may be configured to generate heat when an electric current flows through it. Such heating elements often comprise a metallic material and are configured to generate heat as a result of the electrical resistance associated with passing an electric current through it. Such resistive heating elements may be positioned near the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member. Alternatively, the heating element may be positioned in contact with a solid or semi-solid aerosol precursor composition. Such configurations can heat the aerosol source member or the substrate portion of the aerosol source member to generate an aerosol. Representative types of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions and formulations are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,424,538 by Thomas et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,464,726 by Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0083150 by Conner et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0157052 by Adem et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017 / 0000188 by Nordskog et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] However, in the illustrated embodiment, an induction heating device is used. In various embodiments, the induction heating device may comprise a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver (e.g., one or more susceptors). In such a method, the operation of the aerosol delivery device may require directing an alternating current to the resonant transmitter to generate an oscillating magnetic field in order to induce eddy currents in the resonant receiver. In various embodiments, the resonant receiver may be part of the aerosol source member or the base material of the aerosol source member, and / or may be located near the aerosol source member or the base material of the aerosol source member. This alternating current generates heat in the resonant receiver, thereby causing an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol source member. Examples of various induction heating methods and configurations are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0124979 by Sebastian et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. Further examples of various induction-based control components and associated circuits are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0132531 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0202266 by Sur et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. While the illustrated embodiment describes a single resonant transmitter, it should be noted that other embodiments may include multiple independent resonant transmitters, such as an embodiment having a segmented induction heating device.

[0062] In some embodiments, the control components of the control body may include an inverter or inverter circuit configured to convert the DC supplied by the power supply into AC supplied to the resonant transmitter. Thus, in some embodiments, the resonant transmitter (e.g., a coil member) and the aerosol source member may be placed in close proximity to each other to heat the aerosol source member or a portion thereof (e.g., a substrate portion) by induction heating. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate portion may be placed within the range of the field radiated by the resonant transmitter. As will be described in more detail below, a portion of the induction heating device may be located in the control body, and a portion of the induction heating device may be located in the aerosol source member.

[0063] Figure 1 shows an aerosol delivery device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a control body 102 and an aerosol source member 104. In various embodiments, the aerosol source member 104 and the control body 102 may be aligned permanently or detachably in a functional relationship. In this regard, Figure 1 shows the aerosol delivery device 100 in a coupled configuration, while Figure 2 shows the aerosol delivery device 100 in a separated configuration. Various mechanisms may connect the aerosol source member 104 to the control body 102, resulting in screw engagement, press-fit engagement, interlocking fit, sliding fit, magnetic engagement, and the like. In various embodiments, the control body 102 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, substantially rectangular or rectangular cube-shaped, or substantially cylindrical. In other embodiments, the control body may take on other handheld shapes such as a small box shape, various podmod (e.g., all-in-one) shapes, or fob shape.

[0064] The illustrated embodiment shows an aerosol source member extending outside the control body, but it should be noted that the present invention should not be limited in this way. In other embodiments, for example, the aerosol source member may be completely housed and / or concealed within the control body. In particular, in some embodiments, the aerosol source member may be completely housed within a receiving compartment or chamber of the control body. In some embodiments, a mouthpiece is not required, and in other embodiments, the mouthpiece may be separate (and in some embodiments, reusable). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the aerosol source member may comprise a base portion and may not include a filter or other segment or section.

[0065] In certain embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 and the aerosol source member 104 may be described as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body 102 may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery, a solid-state battery, a thin-film solid-state battery, a rechargeable supercapacitor, and thus can be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a wall charger, connection to an auto charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter receptacle), connection to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C), connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes called a solar cell) or a solar panel of a solar cell, a charger using inductive wireless charging (e.g., wireless charging compliant with the Qi wireless charging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)), or a wireless charger such as a radio frequency (RF) based charger. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 by Sur et al., which is incorporated in whole herein by reference. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the aerosol source member 104 may include a disposable device. Disposable components for use with the control body are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639 by Chang et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In some embodiments, the control body 102 may be inserted into and / or coupled to a separate charging station for charging the rechargeable battery of the device 100. In some embodiments, the charging station itself may include a rechargeable power supply for recharging the rechargeable battery of the device 100.

[0066] Referring to Figure 2, which shows a perspective view of the aerosol delivery device 100 of Figure 1, with the aerosol source member 104 and the control body 102 separated from each other, the aerosol source member 104 in some embodiments may comprise a heating end 106 configured to be inserted into the control body 102 and a mouth end 108 from which the user draws in to generate aerosols. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the heating end 106 may include a base portion 110. Note that in other embodiments, the aerosol source member 104 does not need to include a heating end and / or a mouth end.

[0067] In some embodiments, the base material 110 may contain tobacco-containing beads, tobacco powder, tobacco shreds, tobacco strips, reconstituted tobacco materials, cast tobacco sheets, or combinations thereof, as well as / or mixtures of finely ground tobacco, tobacco extracts, spray-dried tobacco extracts, or other tobacco forms mixed with any inorganic material (such as calcium carbonate), rice flour, corn flour, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), guar gum, alginate, any flavoring, and aerosol-forming materials to form a substantially solid or moldable (e.g., extrudeable) base material. In various embodiments, the aerosol source member 104 or a portion thereof may be wrapped in an overlap material 112 which can be formed from any material useful to provide additional structure and / or support to the aerosol source member 104. In various embodiments, the overlap material may include a material that resists heat transfer, which may include paper or other fibrous materials such as cellulose materials. The overlap material may also include at least one filler material embedded or dispersed within the fibrous material. In various embodiments, the filler material may be in the form of water-insoluble particles. Furthermore, the filler material can incorporate inorganic components. In various embodiments, the overlap can be formed from multiple layers, such as an underlying bulk layer, and an upper layer, such as the typical wrapping paper of a cigarette. Such materials may include, for example, lightweight "rag fibers" such as flax, hemp, sisal, rice straw, and / or esparto.

[0068] Referring to Figure 3, which shows a schematic front view of the aerosol delivery device 100, the mouth end 108 of the aerosol source member 104 in some embodiments may include a filter 114, which may be made from, for example, cellulose acetate or polypropylene material. In various embodiments, the filter 114 may increase the structural integrity of the mouth end 108 of the aerosol source member 100 and / or provide filtration capacity as needed and / or provide resistance to suction. In some embodiments, the filter may be separated from the overlap, or the filter may be held in place by the overlap. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise separate segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment that provides filtration, a segment that provides suction resistance, a hollow segment that provides space for the aerosol to cool, a segment that provides improved structural integrity, other filter segments, or any one or any combination of the above. In various embodiments, other components may be present between the base material 110 and the mouth end 108 of the aerosol source member 104, and the mouth end 108 may include the filter 114. For example, in some embodiments, one or any combination of the following can be placed between the base material and the opening: a void; a phase change material for cooling air; a flavor release medium; ion exchange fibers capable of selective chemiadsorption; aerogel particles as a filter material; and other suitable materials.

[0069] Illustrative types of overlapping materials, packaging material components, and processed packaging materials that can be used in overlapping in this disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,105,838 by White et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,271,419 by Arzonico et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930 by Gentry, U.S. Patent No. 6,908,874 by Woodhead et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,929,013 by Ashcraft et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,195,019 by Hancock et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,276,120 by Holmes, U.S. Patent No. 7,275,548 by Hancock et al., International Publication No. 01 / 08514 by Fournier et al., and International Publication No. 03 / 043450 by Hajaligol et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Typical packaging materials are commercially available from Schweitzer-Maudit International as grades 119, 170, 419, 453, 454, 456, 465, 466, 490, 525, 535, 557, 652, 664, 672, 676, and 680 from RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company. The porosity of packaging materials can vary, frequently between approximately 5 coresta units and approximately 30,000 coresta units, most often between approximately 10 coresta units and approximately 90 coresta units, and frequently between approximately 8 coresta units and approximately 80 coresta units.

[0070] To maximize the delivery of aerosols and flavorings that can be diluted by radial (i.e., outward) air penetration through the overlap, one or more layers of non-porous tobacco paper can be used to wrap the aerosol source member 104 (with or without the overlap). Examples of suitable non-porous tobacco paper are commercially available from Kimberly-Clark Corp as KC-63-5, P878-5, P878-16-2 and 780-63-5. Preferably, the overlap is a material that is substantially impermeable to vapors formed during use of the article of the present invention. If necessary, the overlap may comprise resilient cardboard material, foil-backed cardboard, metal, polymer material, etc., which may surround the cigarette. The overlap may comprise inverted paper circumscribing the component, which may be used to attach filter material to the aerosol source member as otherwise described herein.

[0071] As described above, various embodiments of this disclosure use an induction heating device to heat an aerosol source member or a substrate portion of an aerosol source member. The induction heating device may comprise at least one resonant transmitter and at least one resonant receiver (hereinafter also referred to as a susceptor or a plurality of susceptor particles). In various embodiments, one or both of the resonant transmitter and the resonant receiver may be located in a control body and / or in the aerosol source member. As described in more detail below, the substrate portion of some embodiments may include a resonant receiver. Examples of additional possible components are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0124979, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole.

[0072] Returning to Figure 3, the control body 102 of the illustrated embodiment may comprise a housing 118 including an opening 119 defined at its engagement end, a flow sensor 120 (e.g., a puff sensor or pressure switch), control components 122 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB) including a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller, etc.), a power supply 124 (e.g., a rechargeable battery and / or a rechargeable supercapacitor), and an end cap which may include an indicator 126 (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)).

[0073] Examples of possible power sources are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 by Peckerar et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112191 by Sur et al., filed on 21 October 2015, the disclosures thereof, respectively, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. With respect to the flow sensor 120, typical current regulating components, and other current control components including various microcontrollers, sensors, and switches for aerosol delivery devices, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., U.S. Patents No. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 by Nguyen et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 by Pan, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. See also the control scheme described in U.S. Patent No. 9,423,152 by Ampolini et al., which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one embodiment, the indicator 126 may include one or more light-emitting diodes, quantum dot-based light-emitting diodes, and the like. The indicator 126 can communicate with the control component 122 and may light up when the user inhales the aerosol source member 104 when coupled to the control body 102, for example, as detected by the flow sensor 120.

[0074] In some embodiments, input elements may be included in the aerosol delivery device (and may replace or supplement airflow or pressure sensors). Inputs may be included to allow a user to control the function of the device and / or to output information to the user. Any component or combination of components can be used as inputs to control the function of the device. For example, one or more push buttons can be used, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2015 / 0245658 by Worm et al., incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, a touchscreen may be used, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016 / 0262454 by Sears et al., incorporated herein by reference. As a further example, a component adapted to gesture recognition based on a specified movement of the aerosol delivery device may be used as an input. See U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016 / 0158782 by Henry et al., incorporated herein by reference. As yet another example, a capacitive sensor may be embodied in the aerosol delivery device so that a user can provide input, such as by touching the surface of the device in which the capacitive sensor is embodied.

[0075] Further components may be utilized in the aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 by Sprinkel et al. discloses an indicator for smoking products; U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 by Sprinkel, Jr. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of a device to trigger heating of the heating device after detecting user lip activity related to inhalation acquisition; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling the flow of energy to a heating load array in response to a pressure drop across the mouthpiece; U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 by Harris et al. discloses a receptacle in a smoking device including an identifier for detecting non-uniformity of the infrared transmittance of an inserted component and a controller that performs a detection routine when the component is inserted into the receptacle; U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al. describes a defined viable power cycle with multiple differential phases; and Watkins et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 discloses photonic-optronic components; U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 by Counts et al. discloses means for changing suction resistance via a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 6,803,545 by Blake et al. discloses specific battery configurations for use in a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 7,293,565 by Griffen et al. disclose various charging systems for use in a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 by Fernando et al. discloses computer interface means for a smoking device to facilitate charging and enable computer control of the device; U.S. Patent No. 8,689,804 by Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for a smoking device; and International Publication No. 2010 / 003480 by Flick discloses a fluid flow sensing system indicating puffs in an aerosol generation system. All of the aforementioned disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0076] Other suitable current-actuated / deactuated mechanisms may include temperature-actuated on / off switches or lip-pressure-actuated switches, or touch sensors (e.g., capacitive touch sensors) configured to sense contact between a user (e.g., the user's mouth or finger) and one or more surfaces of the aerosol delivery device. An example of a mechanism capable of providing such puff-actuated functionality is the Model 163PC01D36 silicon sensor manufactured by the Microswitch Division of Honeywell, Inc. in Freeport, Illinois. Using such a sensor, the heating element can be rapidly actuated by a change in pressure when a consumer inhales the device. Furthermore, flow sensing devices, such as those using the principle of a hot-wire anemometer, can be used to sense a change in airflow and then energize the heating assembly sufficiently quickly. Further usable puff-actuated switches include pressure difference switches such as Model No. MPL-502-V, Range A, from Micro Pneumatic Logic, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Another suitable puff-actuated mechanism is a highly sensitive pressure transducer (e.g., with an amplifier or gain stage) coupled with a comparator to detect a given threshold pressure. Another suitable puffing mechanism is a vane deflected by airflow, the movement of which is detected by motion sensing means. Yet another suitable mechanism is a piezoelectric switch. Also useful is the appropriately connected Honeywell MicroSwitch Microbridge airflow sensor, part number AWM 2100V, from the Microswitch Division of Honeywell, Inc., Freeport, Illinois. Further examples of demand-operated electric switches that can be used in heating circuits according to this disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. Other suitable differential switches, analog pressure sensors, flow sensors, etc., will be apparent to those skilled in the art who are familiar with this disclosure. In some embodiments, a pressure-sensing tube or other passage providing a fluid connection between the puffing switch and the aerosol source member may be included in the housing so that pressure changes during suction are easily identified by the switch.Other exemplary puffing devices that may be useful in accordance with this disclosure are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,874 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 by Nguyen et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 by Pan, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0077] Further examples of components related to electronic aerosol delivery articles and disclosed materials or components that may be used in these articles are found in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 by Morgan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 by Higgins et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 by Adams et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 by White, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 by Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 by Nichols, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 by Hon, U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 by Kobayashi, U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 by Hamano, U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 by Shayan, and Hon. U.S. Patent Nos. 8,156,944 and 8,375,957 by Thorens et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,794,231 by Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,851,083 by Monsees et al., U.S. Patent Nos. 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 by Monsees et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 by DePiano et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2 by Hon This includes U.S. Patent Publication No. 006 / 0196518 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0188490, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0024834 by Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 by Wang, International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 by Hon, and International Publication No. 2013 / 089551 by Foo, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0099877 discloses an aerosol delivery device and a capsule that can be included in a fob-shaped configuration for an aerosol delivery device, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Various materials disclosed in the aforementioned documents can be incorporated into the device in various embodiments, and all of the aforementioned disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0078] As described above, the heating element of the illustrated embodiment comprises an induction heating device. Therefore, generally, the control body 102 of the embodiment shown in Figure 3 includes a resonant transmitter, and the aerosol source member 104 includes a resonant receiver (e.g., one or more susceptors) which together facilitate heating of at least a portion of the aerosol source member 104 (e.g., the base material 110). In various embodiments, the resonant transmitter and / or resonant receiver can take various forms, but in the particular embodiment shown in Figure 3, the resonant transmitter comprises a helical coil 128 which can surround a support cylinder 129 in some embodiments, and in other embodiments the support cylinder is not required. In various embodiments, the resonant transmitter can be made from one or more conductive materials, including, for example, silver, gold, aluminum, brass, zinc, iron, nickel, and their alloys, conductive ceramics, such as ytrium-doped zirconia, indium tin oxide, yttrium-doped titanate, and any combination thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the helical coil 128 is made from a conductive metallic material such as copper. In further embodiments, the helical coil may include a non-conductive insulating cover / wrap material. Such materials may include, for example, one or more polymer materials such as epoxy or silicone rubber, which may be useful for low-temperature applications, or glass fiber, ceramic, or refractory materials, which may be useful for high-temperature applications.

[0079] As shown in the illustration, the resonant transmitter 128 can extend close to the engaging end of the housing 118 and can be configured to substantially surround the portion of the heating end 106 of the aerosol source member 104, including the base material 110. In such a manner, the helical coil 128 in the illustrated embodiment can generally define a tubular configuration. In some embodiments, the support cylinder 129 can also define a tubular configuration and can be configured to support the helical coil 128 so that the helical coil 128 does not come into contact with the base material 110. Thus, the support cylinder 129 can be made of a non-conductive material that can be substantially permeable to the oscillating magnetic field generated by the helical coil 128. In various embodiments, the helical coil 128 can be embedded in the support cylinder 129 or otherwise coupled. In the illustrated embodiment, the helical coil 128 engages with the outer surface of the support cylinder 129, but in other embodiments, the coil can be located on the inner surface of the support cylinder, fully embedded in the support cylinder, or have some other configuration.

[0080] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a substrate portion 110 of an aerosol source member 104 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 110 includes a substrate material 130 and one or more separators 132. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes two separators 132a, 132b. In the illustrated embodiment, the separators 132 are configured to separate the substrate material 130 into a plurality (e.g., two or more) separate longitudinal substrate segments. In particular, the two separators 132a, 132b separate the substrate material 130 into three longitudinal substrate segments 130a, 130b, and 130c. As will be described in more detail below, one or more separators 132 in the illustrated embodiment include one or more susceptors (e.g., resonant receivers) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of a control body.

[0081] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 130 comprises an extruded tobacco structure. For example, in some embodiments, the extruded structure may contain, or essentially contain, one or more of tobacco, tobacco-related material, glycerin, water, binder material, and / or fillers and curing agents such as calcium carbonate, rice flour, and corn flour. In various embodiments, the suitable binder material may include alginates such as ammonium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, potassium alginate, and sodium alginate. Alginates, in particular high-viscosity alginates, can be used in combination with controlled levels of free calcium ions. Other suitable binder materials include hydroxypropylcellulose such as Klucel H from Aqualon Co., hydroxypropylmethylcellulose such as Methocel K4MS from The Dow Chemical Co., hydroxyethylcellulose such as Natrosol 250 MRCS from Aqualon Co., microcrystalline cellulose such as Avicel from FMC, methylcellulose such as Methocel A4M from The Dow Chemical Co., and sodium carboxymethylcellulose such as CMC 7HF and CMC 7H4F from Hercules Inc. Further possible binder materials include starch (e.g., corn starch), guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, pectin, and xanthan gum. In some embodiments, combinations or blends of two or more binder materials can be used. Other examples of binder materials are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 by Jakob et al. and U.S. Patent No. 4,924,887 by Raker et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be provided as part of a binder material (e.g., propylene glycol alginate).Furthermore, in some embodiments, the binder material may include nanocellulose derived from tobacco or other biomass.

[0082] In some embodiments, the base material may include an extruded material, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012 / 0042885 by Stone et al., which is incorporated entirely herein by reference. In yet another embodiment, the base material may include an extruded structure and / or base formed from marmarized and / or unmarmarized tobacco. Marmarized tobacco is known, for example, from U.S. Patent No. 5,105,831 by Banerjee et al., which is incorporated entirely herein by reference. Marmarized tobacco comprises about 20 to about 50 percent (by weight) of a tobacco blend in powder form, along with glycerol (about 20 to about 30 percent by weight), calcium carbonate (generally about 10 to about 60 percent by weight, and most often about 40 to about 60 percent by weight), together with the binders and / or flavorings described herein. In various embodiments, the extruded material may have one or more longitudinal openings. In other embodiments, the extruded material may have two or more sectors, for example, an extruded product having a cross-section such as that of a wagon wheel.

[0083] Additionally or alternatively, the substrate material may include an extruded structure and / or a substrate containing or essentially composed of tobacco, glycerin, water, and / or a binder material, and further configured to substantially maintain its structure throughout the aerosol formation process. That is, the substrate material may be configured to substantially maintain its shape throughout the aerosol formation process (e.g., the substrate material does not continuously deform under applied shear stress). Such exemplary substrate materials may contain liquid and / or some water content, but the substrate material may remain substantially solid throughout the aerosol formation process and substantially maintain its structural integrity throughout the aerosol formation process. Examples of tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials that may be substantially suitable for tobacco substrate materials are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0157052 by Adem et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0335070 by Sears et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,204,287 by White, and U.S. Patent No. 5,060,676 by Hearn et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0084] In other embodiments, the base material may contain a blend of flavorful aromatic tobacco in cut-filler form. In yet another embodiment, the base material may include reconstituted tobacco materials, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 by Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,889,143 by Pryor et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 by Raker, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. Furthermore, the reconstituted tobacco material may include reconstituted tobacco paper for the type of cigarette described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in whole. For example, the reconstituted tobacco material may include a sheet-like material containing tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials. Thus, in some embodiments, the base material may be formed from a wound roll of reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the base material may be formed from fragments, strips, etc., of reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the tobacco sheet may comprise a crimped sheet of reconstituted tobacco material. In some embodiments, the base material may include overlapping layers (e.g., a gathered web) which may or may not contain thermally conductive components. An example of a base material including a series of overlapping layers (e.g., a gathered web) of an initial base sheet formed of a fibrous filler, an aerosol-forming material, and a plurality of thermally conductive components is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019 / 0261685 by Sebastian et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0085] In some embodiments, the base material may include a plurality of microcapsules, beads, granules, etc., having tobacco-related material. For example, a typical microcapsule may generally be spherical in shape and may have an outer cover or shell containing a liquid central region of tobacco-derived extract and / or similar. In some embodiments, the base material may include a plurality of microcapsules, each formed as a hollow cylinder. In some embodiments, the base material may include a binder material configured to maintain the structural shape and / or integrity of the plurality of microcapsules formed as hollow cylinders.

[0086] The tobacco used in one or more base materials may include, or be derived from, tobaccos such as hardened smoke tobacco, Burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark fire tobacco and Rustica tobacco, as well as other rare or special tobaccos, or blends thereof. Various representative tobacco types, processed tobacco types, and tobacco blend types are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,836,224 by Lawson et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,924,888 by Perfetti et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,056,537 by Brown et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930 by Gentry, U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023 by Blakley et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,701,936 by Shafer et al., Domin This is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,730,832 by guez et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,011,096 by Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,017,585 by Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,025,066 by Lawson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0255965 by Perfetti et al., International Publication No. 02 / 37990 by Bereman, and Bombick et al., Fund.Appl.Toxicol., 39, pp. 11-17 (1997), the disclosures thereof being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0087] In various embodiments, the base material can take on various structures based on the varying amounts of material used. For example, the sample base material may contain up to about 98% by weight, up to about 95% by weight, or up to about 90% by weight of tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials. The sample base material may also contain up to about 25% by weight, up to about 20% by weight, or up to about 15% by weight of water, particularly about 2% to about 25% by weight, up to about 5% to about 20% by weight, or up to about 7% to about 15% by weight of water. Flavoring agents, etc. (including drugs such as nicotine, for example) may constitute up to about 10% by weight, up to about 8% by weight, or up to about 5% by weight of the aerosol delivery component.

[0088] In some embodiments, flame retardant / combustion-inhibiting materials and other additives may be included in the base material and may include organophosphorus compounds, borax, hydrated alumina, graphite, potassium tripolyphosphate, dipentaerythritol, pentaerythritol, and polyols. Others such as nitrogen-containing phosphonates, monoammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium bromide, ammonium borate, ammonium ethanol borate, ammonium sulfamate, halogenated organic compounds, thiourea, and antimony oxide are also suitable but not preferred agents. In each embodiment of flame retardant, combustion-retardant, and / or scorch-retardant materials used in the base material and / or other components (alone or in combination with each other and / or other materials), the desired properties are provided most preferably without undesirable gas emission or melting-type behavior. Other examples include diammonium phosphate and / or other salts configured to help prevent ignition, thermal decomposition, combustion, and / or scorching of the base material by a heat source. Various methods and techniques for incorporating tobacco into smoking products, particularly smoking products designed to intentionally prevent substantially all tobacco within them from burning, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 by Cantrell et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 by Banerjee et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215167 by Crooks et al., the disclosures thereof incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0089] According to other embodiments of this disclosure, the base material may also incorporate tobacco additives of a type traditionally used in the manufacture of tobacco products. These additives may include materials of a type used to enhance the flavor and aroma of tobacco used in the manufacture of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, etc. For example, these additives may include various cigarette casing and / or top dressing components. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 3,419,015 by Wochnowski, U.S. Patent No. 4,054,145 by Berndt et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,887,619 by Burcham, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,022,416 by Watson, U.S. Patent No. 5,103,842 by Strang et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,711,320 by Martin. Those disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Preferred casing materials may include water, sugars and syrups (e.g., sucrose, glucose and high-fructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol), and flavorings (e.g., cocoa and licorice). These additional components may also include top dressing materials (e.g., flavorings such as menthol). See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,449,541 by Mays et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further additional materials may include those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,830,028 by Lawson et al. and U.S. Patent No. 8,186,360 by Marshall et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0090] In various embodiments, one or more of the base materials may have an associated aerosol precursor composition. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain one or more different components, such as polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof). Representative types of further aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 by Sensabaugh, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 by Jakob et al., International Publication No. 98 / 57556 by Biggs et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the base material can produce a visible aerosol when sufficiently heated (and cooled with air as necessary), and the base material can produce a “smoky” aerosol. In other embodiments, the base material can generate an aerosol that is substantially invisible but is perceived as present by other properties such as flavoring or texture. Thus, the properties of the generated aerosol can vary depending on the specific components of the aerosol delivery components. The aerosol can be chemically simpler than the chemical properties of the smoke produced by burning tobacco.

[0091] In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain one or more humectants, such as propylene glycol and glycerin. In various embodiments, the amount of aerosol precursor composition used in the aerosol delivery device may be such that the aerosol delivery device exhibits acceptable sensory and functional properties, as well as desirable performance characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., glycerin and / or propylene glycol) may be used to provide the production of a visible mainstream aerosol that in many respects resembles the appearance of cigarette smoke. For example, the amount of aerosol precursor composition incorporated into the substrate material of a smoking product may be in the range of about 4.5 grams or less, 3.5 grams or less, about 3 grams or less, about 2.5 grams or less, about 2 grams or less, about 1.5 grams or less, about 1 gram or less, or about 0.5 grams or less. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, values ​​outside these ranges are possible.

[0092] Representative types of further aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 by Sensabaugh, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 by Jakob et al., International Publication No. 98 / 57556 by Biggs et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the aerosol source component can produce a visible aerosol when sufficiently heated (and cooled with air as necessary), and the aerosol source component can produce a “smoky” aerosol. In other embodiments, the aerosol source component can produce an aerosol that is substantially invisible but is perceived as present by other properties such as flavor or texture. Thus, the properties of the aerosol produced can vary depending on the specific components of the aerosol delivery component. In various embodiments, the aerosol source component can be chemically simpler than the chemical properties of the smoke produced by burning tobacco.

[0093] In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition, also called the vapor precursor composition or "e-liquid," may contain a variety of components, including, for example, polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract, and / or flavorings. Several possible types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 by Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0213417 by Chong et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 by Collett et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 by Lipowicz et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 by Koller, as well as International Publication No. 2014 / 182736 by Bowen et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that can be used include the aerosol precursors incorporated into products such as VUSE(R) by RJReynolds Vapor Company, BLU(TM) by Fontem Ventures BV, MISTIC MENTHOL by Mistic Ecigs, MARK TEN by Nu Mark LLC, JUUL by Juul Labs, Inc., and VYPE by CN Creative Ltd. The so-called "Smoke Juice" for e-cigarettes, available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC, is also a possibility.Possible yet other exemplary aerosol precursor compositions are sold under the trade names BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR.CRIMMY'S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT.BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN.

[0094] The amount of aerosol precursor incorporated into the aerosol source component is such that the aerosol generating component provides acceptable sensory characteristics and desirable performance characteristics. For example, it is desirable to use a sufficient amount of aerosol-forming material to provide the generation of a visible mainstream aerosol that closely resembles the appearance of cigarette smoke in many respects. The amount of aerosol precursor in the aerosol generating system may depend on factors such as the desired number of puffs for each aerosol generating component. In one or more embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include about 0.5 ml or more, about 1 ml or more, about 2 ml or more, about 5 ml or more, or about 10 ml or more.

[0095] In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may incorporate nicotine that can be present at various concentrations. The source of nicotine can be varied, and the nicotine incorporated into the aerosol precursor composition may originate from a single source or a combination of two or more sources. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain nicotine derived from tobacco. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain nicotine derived from other organic plant sources, such as non-tobacco plant sources including, for example, plants of the Solanaceae family. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain synthetic nicotine. In some embodiments, the nicotine incorporated into the aerosol precursor composition may originate from non-tobacco plant sources, such as other members of the Solanaceae family. The aerosol precursor composition may additionally or alternatively contain other active ingredients, including but not limited to plant components (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca, and rhizon), melatonin, stimulants (e.g., caffeine, theine, and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan), and / or pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, psychotropic drugs, psychostimulants, and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins, e.g., B6, B12, and C, and cannabinoids, e.g., tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)). Note that the aerosol precursor composition may contain any of the above components, derivatives, or combinations.

[0096] As described herein, an aerosol precursor composition may contain or be derived from one or more plants or their components, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term “plant-derived” includes, but is not limited to, any material derived from plants, including extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, shells, etc. Alternatively, the material may contain naturally occurring active compounds in synthetically obtained plants. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, flakes, strips, sheets, etc. Examples of plants include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazelnut, hibiscus, bay laurel, licorice, matcha, mato, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, anise, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and laurel. These include venison, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefuma, cornflower, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, sartre, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, kalbi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, carrot, theanine, siacrine, maca, shwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. Mint can be selected from the following mint varieties:: Genus Mentha (Arventis), Mentha cv, Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata cv, Mentha piperita cv, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata cv, and Mentha suaveolens.

[0097] A wide variety of flavorings or materials that alter the sensory or sensory properties or characteristics of the mainstream aerosol of a smoking product may be suitable for use. In some embodiments, such flavorings may be supplied from sources other than tobacco and may be natural or artificial in nature. For example, some flavorings may be applied to or incorporated into the base material and / or those areas of the smoking product where the aerosol is produced. In some embodiments, such agents may be supplied directly to the heating cavity or area closest to the heat source, or they may be supplied together with the base material. Examples of flavorings may include, for example, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, citrus flavorings, including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarilla, cocoa, licorice, as well as flavorings and flavoring packages of types and characteristics traditionally used in cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco. Syrups such as high-fructose corn syrup may also be suitable for use.

[0098] As used herein, terms such as “flavoring,” “flavoring agent,” and “fragrance” refer to materials that may be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory effect in products intended for adult consumers, where local regulations permit it.These include naturally occurring flavorings, plant substances, extracts of plant substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaves, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berries, red berries, cranberries, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruits). 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, cascaria, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, chaat, naswar, bethel, shisha, pine, honey, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage Ginger, fennel, wasabi, pimento, ginger, coriander, coffee, cannabis, peppermint oil from any species of the Mentha genus, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, bay leaf, mate tea, orange peel, rose, tea such as green tea and black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, coriander, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram It may also contain other additives such as olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, fennel, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor blockers, sensory receptor activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant matter, or breath fresheners.They may be imitations, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as liquids like oils, solids like powders, or gases.

[0099] In some embodiments, the flavor includes menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavor includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavor components. In some embodiments, the flavor contains eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavor contains flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavor includes flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0100] In some embodiments, flavors may include sensations intended to achieve somatosensations, which are usually chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or instead of olfactory or gustatory nerves, and these may include agents that provide heating, cooling, stinging, or paralyzing effects. Suitable thermal agents may be vanillyl ethyl ether, but are not limited to these, and suitable cooling agents may be eucoliptol, WS-3, but are not limited to these.

[0101] Flavorings may also contain acidic or basic properties (e.g., organic acids such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid). In some embodiments, flavorings may be combined with elements of the base material as needed. Suitable exemplary plant-derived compositions are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0152265 by Dube et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Any materials such as flavorings, casings, etc., which may be useful in combination with tobacco materials to influence their sensory properties, including sensory properties as described herein, may be combined with the base material. Organic acids, in particular, may be able to influence the flavor, sensation, or sensory properties of drugs such as nicotine, which may be incorporated into and combined with the base material. For example, organic acids such as levulinic acid, lactic acid, and pyruvic acid may be included in a nicotine-containing base material in amounts up to equimolar (based on total organic acid content) with nicotine. Any combination of organic acids may be appropriate. For example, in some embodiments, the base material may contain about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvate, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid, or a combination thereof, per mole of nicotine, up to a concentration where the total amount of organic acids present is equimolar to the total amount of nicotine present in the base material. Various additional examples of organic acids that can be used to manufacture the base material are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0344456 by Dull et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0102] The selection of such further components is variable based on factors such as the desired sensory characteristics of the smoking product, and this disclosure is intended to include such further components that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See, for example, Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972) and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972). These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0103] In some embodiments, the base material may include other materials having various inherent characteristics or properties. For example, the base material may include plasticizing materials in the form of rayon or regenerated cellulose. Another example where suitable may be viscose (commercially available as VISIL(R)), a regenerated cellulose product incorporating silica. Some carbon fibers may contain at least 95% or more carbon. Similarly, natural cellulose fibers such as cotton may be suitable and may be impregnated or otherwise treated with silica, carbon, or metal particles to enhance flame retardancy and minimize the generation of particularly undesirable off-gas components that would have off-gas and adverse effects on flavor (in particular minimizing the possibility of any toxic off-gas products). Cotton can be treated with, for example, boric acid or various organophosphate compounds and may be given desirable flame retardant properties by dipping, spraying, or other techniques known in the art. These fibers may also be treated with organic or metal nanoparticles (such as coating, impregnation, or both) to impart desirable flame retardant properties without undesirable off-gas or melt-type action.

[0104] As described above, one or more separators of the present invention include one or more susceptors configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter. In various embodiments, one or more of the separators may be made from a ferromagnetic material including, but not limited to, cobalt, iron, nickel, zinc, manganese, and any combination thereof. In other embodiments, one or more of the separators may be made from other metallic materials, such as aluminum or stainless steel, as well as other materials including ceramic materials such as silicon carbide, carbon materials, and any combination of any of the materials described above. In yet another embodiment, one or more of the separators may be made from other conductive materials, such as metals like copper, alloys of conductive materials, or other materials in which one or more conductive materials are embedded. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the separators may be made from graphite. As described below, in some embodiments, one or more of the separators may be heated separately. In this way, the individual substrate material segments may be heated, for example, continuously or in any other order. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 132 has a disk shape having an overall circular cross-section with a thickness smaller than the diameter of the disk. However, in other embodiments, the separator may have other shapes and any thickness.

[0105] Referring back to Figure 4, the separator 132 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a porous conductive disk. Note that in various embodiments, the number and position of the disks may vary. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the separators 132 comprises a conductive disk having a plurality of distinct openings, including a central opening 134 and a plurality of radial openings 136 extending therefrom. In particular, the porous conductive disk in the illustrated embodiment comprises a single central opening 134 and 40 radial openings 136, each having 10 sets of 4 openings extending outward from the central opening 134. However, note that in other embodiments, the quantity and position of the openings may differ. For example, in some embodiments, there may be more or fewer openings, and the openings may form a variety of different patterns through the disk, including one or more random patterns. In the illustrated embodiment, the central opening 134 and the plurality of radial openings 136 are substantially the same size. However, in other embodiments, the openings may have different sizes. In yet another opening, the material used for the disk may be a porous material that does not have individual openings. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening can provide airflow between the substrate segments.

[0106] In the illustrated embodiment, a change in the current in the helical coil 128 (i.e., the resonant transmitter), induced from the power supply and / or by a control component (e.g., via a driver circuit), generates an alternating current electromagnetic field that passes through the separator 132 (i.e., the resonant receiver), thereby generating eddy currents within the separator 132. In some embodiments, the alternating current electromagnetic field may be generated by guiding an alternating current into the helical coil. As described above, in some embodiments, the control component 122 may include an inverter or inverter circuit configured to convert the direct current supplied by the power supply into alternating current supplied to the resonant transmitter.

[0107] Eddy currents flowing through separator 132 can generate heat through the Joule effect, the amount of heat generated being proportional to the square of the current multiplied by the electrical resistance of the separator material 132. In embodiments where separator 132 is made of a ferromagnetic material, heat may also be generated by magnetic hysteresis loss. Several factors, including but not limited to proximity to the helical coil 128, magnetic field distribution, electrical resistivity of the separator material 132, saturation magnetic flux density of the material, skin effect or depth, hysteresis loss, susceptibility, permeability, and dipole moment, contribute to the temperature rise of separator 132.

[0108] In this regard, as described above, both the separator 132 and the helical coil 128 may be made of a conductive material. For example, the helical coil 128 and / or the separator 132 may comprise a variety of conductive materials, such as metals like copper or aluminum, alloys of conductive materials (e.g., diamagnetic, paramagnetic, or ferromagnetic materials), or other materials such as ceramic or glass embedded with one or more conductive materials. In another embodiment, the resonant receiver may contain conductive particles. In some embodiments, the resonant receiver may be coated with or otherwise include a thermally conductive passivation layer (e.g., a thin layer of glass).

[0109] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a substrate portion 210 of an aerosol source member according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 210 includes a substrate material and one or more separators 232. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes two separators 232a, 232b. In the illustrated embodiment, the separators 232 are configured to separate the substrate material 230 into a plurality of distinct longitudinal substrate segments. In particular, the two separators 232a, 232b separate the substrate material 230 into three longitudinal substrate segments 230a, 230b, and 230c.

[0110] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. Refer to the above discussion regarding the base material, as well as its various characteristics, additives, and variations. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 232 comprises a susceptor (e.g., a resonant receiver) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of the control body. Refer to the above description of possible susceptor shapes, materials, and their variations.

[0111] In the illustrated embodiment, each separator 232 comprises a substantially flat conductive helical coil 238 having an inner end, a number of substantially circular windings with space between the windings, and an outer end, all comprising a single wire or ribbon. Thus, in various embodiments, the helical coil can have defined inner diameter, outer diameter, and winding spacing (e.g., distance between adjacent windings). In the illustrated embodiment, the space between windings can provide airflow between the substrate segments. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner end of the helical coil 238 is located some distance from the center of the substrate 210, but in other embodiments, the inner end of the helical coil may be closer to the center of the substrate material 210. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the helical coil comprises a single wire or ribbon having about three windings, with the outer end positioned close to the outer circumference of the substrate material 210, but in other embodiments, any number of wires and any number of windings are possible. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the ends of the helical coil may be positioned some distance from the outer circumference of the substrate material.

[0112] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a substrate portion 310 of an aerosol source member according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 310 includes a substrate material and one or more separators 332. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes two separators 332a, 332b. In the illustrated embodiment, the separators 332 are configured to separate the substrate material 330 into a plurality of distinct longitudinal substrate segments. In particular, the two separators 332a, 332b separate the substrate material 330 into three longitudinal substrate segments 330a, 330b, and 330c.

[0113] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. Refer to the above discussion regarding the base material, as well as its various characteristics, additives, and variations. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 332 comprises a susceptor (e.g., a resonant receiver) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of the control body. Refer to the above description of possible susceptor shapes, materials, and their variations.

[0114] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the separators 332 comprises a gathered web (e.g., a series of substantially flat layers folded and overlapping each other so that spaces are located between the layers). In the illustrated embodiment, the gathered web is oriented so that the spaces between the layers provide airflow between the substrate segments. In the illustrated embodiment, the gathered web comprises a single web having nine layers, but in other embodiments, the gathered web may comprise a single web or multiple webs, and may have more or fewer layers. In some embodiments, the gathered web itself may comprise a multilayer sheet, such as a multilayer laminate. For example, in some embodiments, one or more layers of the gathered web may include a susceptor layer and one or more additional layers, which may include, but are not limited to, tobacco or non-tobacco sheets having fragrances, aerosol-forming agents (e.g., aerosol precursor compositions), aromatic materials, nicotine, or any combination thereof.

[0115] In some embodiments, one or more separators comprising one or more susceptors in an induction heating device may be complemented by additional susceptors. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate portion may include a plurality of conductive particles that can function as auxiliary susceptors. In some embodiments, for example, the plurality of conductive particles may be substantially uniformly distributed throughout the substrate portion (e.g., substantially uniformly distributed through one or more substrate segments). However, in other embodiments, the plurality of conductive particles may be concentrated in one or more of the substrate segments. In other embodiments, the plurality of conductive particles may be concentrated in one or more regions of the substrate portion. In various embodiments, the conductive particles may be made from any of the susceptor materials described above.

[0116] In various embodiments, the conductive particles can have various shapes, sizes, and materials, and in some embodiments, they can be combined within the same substrate. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the conductive particles can have a flake-like shape, a substantially spherical shape, a substantially hexagonal shape, a substantially cubic shape, an irregular shape (e.g., a shape with one or more (e.g., multiple) sides of different dimensions), or any combination thereof. In various embodiments, the size of the conductive particles can vary, but in some embodiments, one or more of the conductive particles can have a diameter in a broad range of about 100 microns (0.1 mm) to about 2 mm. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the conductive particles can take the form of a sintered monolith, which does not have to have a defined diameter range.

[0117] In some embodiments including conductive particles, a change in the current of a resonant transmitter (e.g., a helical coil in Figure 3) induced from a power source by a control component (e.g., via a driver circuit) can generate an alternating current electromagnetic field that penetrates multiple conductive particles (e.g., auxiliary susceptors), thereby generating eddy currents within the multiple conductive particles. In some embodiments, the alternating current electromagnetic field may be generated by guiding an alternating current to the resonant transmitter. As described above, in some embodiments, the control component may include an inverter or inverter circuit configured to convert the direct current supplied by the power source into alternating current supplied to the resonant transmitter.

[0118] Similar to separators, eddy currents flowing through multiple conductive particles can generate heat through the Joule effect, with the amount of heat generated being proportional to the square of the current multiplied by the electrical resistance of the materials of the multiple conductive particles. In embodiments in which the multiple conductive particles include ferromagnetic materials, heat may also be generated by magnetic hysteresis loss. Several factors, including but not limited to proximity to a resonant transmitter, magnetic field distribution, electrical resistivity of the materials of the multiple conductive particles, saturation magnetic flux density, skin effect or depth, hysteresis loss, susceptibility, permeability, and dipole moment of the materials, contribute to the temperature rise of the multiple conductive particles.

[0119] Therefore, multiple conductive particles may be heated by a resonant transmitter. In addition to the heat generated by the separator, the heat generated by the multiple conductive particles can also heat the substrate and release aerosols (for example, in addition to the aerosols released by heating one or more separators).

[0120] In some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present disclosure may be configured to heat different segments of the substrate at different times. In this way, the induction heating configuration can provide segmented heating of the substrate segments. For example, in some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present invention may be configured to heat a first substrate segment, and then a second or further substrate segment. In this way, the induction heating device may be configured to gradually heat the substrate. In some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present invention may be configured to heat individual or multiple substrate segments simultaneously. Several examples of segmented heating are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 976,526, filed May 10, 2018, entitled "Control Component for Segmented Heating in an Aerosol Delivery Device," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0121] In some embodiments, the separator may extend longitudinally along at least a portion of the substrate. In this way, the separator can separate the substrate material into a plurality (e.g., two or more) distinct radial substrate segments. An example of such an embodiment is shown in Figures 7A and 7B. In particular, Figure 7A shows a schematic diagram of the substrate portion 410 of the aerosol source member, and Figure 7B shows a schematic cross-section of the substrate portion 410 of Figure 7A. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 410 includes a substrate material 430 and a longitudinal separator 432. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes a single separator. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 432 is configured to separate the substrate material 430 into two radial substrate segments 430a and 430b.

[0122] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. Other processes are also possible, but in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 430 and separator 432 are the result of a co-extrusion process. Refer to the above discussion regarding the base material, as well as its various characteristics, additives, and variant forms. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 432 comprises a susceptor (e.g., a resonant receiver) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of a control body. Other shapes and configurations are also possible, but in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 430 is substantially cylindrical, and the separator 432 comprises a central rounded portion 440 and a pair of substantially flat connecting flanges 442a, 442b extending outward from there. Further embodiments may have other shapes and configurations. Refer to the above description of possible susceptor shapes, materials, and their variant forms.

[0123] In some embodiments, one or more separators comprising one or more susceptors in an induction heating device may be complemented by additional susceptors. See the above discussion regarding embodiments including additional susceptors. In some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present disclosure may be configured to heat different segments of a substrate at different times. In this way, the induction heating configuration can provide segmented heating of the substrate segments. See the above discussion regarding segmented heating.

[0124] Another example of a separator extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the base material is shown in Figure 8A. In particular, Figure 8A shows a schematic cross-section of the base material 510 of the aerosol source member. In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 510 includes a base material 530 and a separator 532. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes a single separator. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 532 is configured to separate the base material 530 into three radial base material segments 530a, 530b, and 530b.

[0125] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. Other processes are also possible, but in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 530 and separator 532 are the result of a co-extrusion process. Refer to the above discussion regarding the base material, as well as its various features, additives, and variant forms. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 532 comprises a susceptor (e.g., a resonant receiver) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of a control body. Other shapes and configurations are also possible, but in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 530 is substantially cylindrical, and the separator 532 has a triangular cross-sectional shape defining three points 542a, 542b, and 542c. Further embodiments may have other shapes and configurations. Refer to the above description of possible susceptor shapes, materials, and their variant forms.

[0126] In some embodiments, one or more separators comprising one or more susceptors in an induction heating device may be complemented by additional susceptors. See the above discussion regarding embodiments including additional susceptors. In some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present disclosure may be configured to heat different segments of a substrate at different times. In this way, the induction heating configuration can provide segmented heating of the substrate segments. See the above discussion regarding segmented heating.

[0127] Another example of a separator extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the base material is shown in Figure 8B. In particular, Figure 8B shows a schematic cross-section of the base material 610 of the aerosol source member. In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 610 includes a base material 630 and a separator 632. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes a single separator. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 632 is configured to separate the base material 630 into a plurality of distinct radial base material segments. In particular, the separator 632 separates the base material 630 into four radial base material segments 630a, 630b, 630c, and 630d.

[0128] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 630 and separator 632 are the result of a co-extrusion process, but other processes are also possible. Refer to the above discussion regarding the base material, as well as its various characteristics, additives, and variant forms. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 632 comprises a susceptor (e.g., a resonant receiver) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of the control body. Although other shapes and configurations are possible, in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 630 is substantially cylindrical, and the separator 632 includes a star-shaped cross-section defining four points 642a, 642b, 642c, and 642d. Further embodiments may have other shapes and configurations. Refer to the above description of possible susceptor shapes, materials, and their variant forms.

[0129] In some embodiments, one or more separators comprising one or more susceptors in an induction heating device may be complemented by additional susceptors. See the above discussion regarding embodiments including additional susceptors. In some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present disclosure may be configured to heat different segments of a substrate at different times. In this way, the induction heating configuration can provide segmented heating of the substrate segments. See the above discussion regarding segmented heating.

[0130] Another example of a separator extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the substrate is shown in Figure 8C. In particular, Figure 8C shows a schematic cross-section of the substrate 710 of the aerosol source member. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate 710 includes a substrate material 730 and a separator 732. Other embodiments may differ, but the illustrated embodiment includes a single separator. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 732 is configured to separate the substrate material 730 into a plurality of distinct radial substrate segments. In particular, the separator 732 separates the substrate material 730 into six radial substrate segments 730a, 730b, 730c, 730d, 730e, and 730f.

[0131] In various embodiments, the base material may contain tobacco material, non-tobacco material, or a combination thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the base material 730 and separator 732 are the result of a co-extrusion process, but other processes are also possible. Refer to the above discussion regarding the base material, as well as its various features, additives, and variant forms. In the illustrated embodiment, the separator 732 comprises a susceptor (e.g., a resonant receiver) configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter of the control body. Although other shapes and configurations are possible, in the illustrated embodiment, the base material 730 is substantially cylindrical, and the separator 732 has a star-shaped cross-section defining six points 742a, 742b, 742c, 742d, 742e, and 742f. Further embodiments may have other shapes and configurations. Refer to the above description of possible susceptor shapes, materials, and their variant forms.

[0132] The illustrated embodiments show one or more separators that separate a substrate material into a plurality of distinct longitudinal substrate segments, or one or more separators that separate a substrate material into a plurality of distinct radial longitudinal substrate segments. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, one or more separators can separate the substrate material into a plurality of distinct substrate segments comprising both a plurality of longitudinal substrate segments and a plurality of radial substrate segments (e.g., a plurality of substrate segments in which part is a distinct longitudinal substrate segment and the other part is a distinct radial substrate segment, and / or a plurality of substrate segments distinct in both the longitudinal and radial directions). For example, in one embodiment, a separator may extend along the longitudinal length of the substrate material having a cross-section that separates the substrate material into a plurality of radial substrate segments (e.g., one or more of the cross-sections described above). Furthermore, the separator may include one or more features (e.g., one or more of the features described above, such as one or more disks) arranged along the longitudinal length of the separator that further separate the radial substrate segments into distinct longitudinal and radial substrate segments.

[0133] In some embodiments, one or more separators comprising one or more susceptors in an induction heating device may be complemented by additional susceptors. See the above discussion regarding embodiments including additional susceptors. In some embodiments, the induction heating device of the present disclosure may be configured to heat different segments of a substrate at different times. In this way, the induction heating configuration can provide segmented heating of the substrate segments. See the above discussion regarding segmented heating.

[0134] While the aerosol source members and control bodies of this disclosure can generally be provided together as a complete smoking product or drug delivery article, it should be noted that the components can also be provided separately. For example, this disclosure also includes disposable units for use with reusable smoking products or reusable drug delivery articles. In certain embodiments, such a disposable unit (which may be an aerosol source member as shown in the accompanying figures) may comprise a substantially tubular body having a heated end configured to engage with a reusable smoking product or drug delivery article, an opposite mouth end configured to allow the passage of an inhalable substance to the consumer, and walls having outer and inner surfaces defining an internal space. Various embodiments of the aerosol source member (or cartridge) are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 by Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0135] In addition to disposable units, the disclosure can be further characterized by providing a separate control body for use in reusable smoking products or reusable pharmaceutical delivery articles. In certain embodiments, the control body may generally be a housing having a receiving end (which may include a receiving chamber having an open end) for receiving the heating end of a separately provided aerosol source member. The control body may further include an electrical energy source that provides power to an electrically heated member, which may be a component of the control body or be included in an aerosol source member used with the control unit. In various embodiments, the control body may also include further components, which may include a power source (such as a battery), components for operating a current flow to the heating member, and components for regulating such current flow to maintain a desired temperature for a desired time, and / or for circulating or stopping the current flow when the desired temperature is reached or when the heating member has heated for a desired time. In some embodiments, the control unit may further include one or more push buttons related to one or both of the components for operating a current flow to the heating member, and components for regulating such current flow. The control unit may also include one or more indicators, such as a light indicating that the heater is heating and / or a light indicating the number of puffs remaining in the aerosol source member used with the control unit.

[0136] While the various figures described herein illustrate the operational relationship between the control body and aerosol source component, it should be understood that the control body and aerosol source component may exist as separate devices. Therefore, any further discussions provided herein regarding combined components should also be understood as applying to the control body and aerosol source component as separate and distinct components.

[0137] In another embodiment, the disclosure may cover a kit providing various components as described herein. For example, a kit may comprise a control body having one or more aerosol source members. A kit may further comprise a control body having one or more charging components. A kit may further comprise a control body having one or more power supplies. A kit may further comprise a control body having one or more aerosol source members and one or more charging components and / or one or more power supplies. In a further embodiment, a kit may comprise a plurality of aerosol source members. A kit may further comprise a plurality of aerosol source members and one or more power supplies and / or one or more charging components. In the above embodiments, the aerosol source members or control body may comprise a heating member containing them. The kit of the present invention may further include a case (or other packaging, transport, or storage component) for housing one or more of the further kit components. The case may be a reusable rigid or flexible container. Furthermore, the case may be a simple box or other packaging structure.

[0138] Those skilled in the art will realize that many modifications and other embodiments of this disclosure have the benefit of teaching shown in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Certain terms are used herein, but they are used in a general and descriptive sense only and not for limitation.

Claims

1. Aerosol delivery device, A control unit having a housing, A resonant transmitter located inside the control unit, A control component configured to drive a resonant transmitter, an aerosol source member including a substrate portion configured to be positioned within the range of a field radiated by a resonant transmitter, Equipped with, An aerosol delivery device comprising a base material and one or more separators, wherein the one or more separators are configured to separate the base material into a plurality of separate base segment, and the one or more separators are equipped with one or more susceptors configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter.

2. An aerosol source member for use with an induction heating aerosol delivery device including a resonant transmitter, wherein the aerosol source member is The device comprises a base material and one or more separators, An aerosol source member comprising a substrate portion configured to be positioned within the range of a field radiated by a resonant transmitter, one or more separators configured to separate the substrate material into a plurality of separate substrate segments, and one or more separators comprising a susceptor configured to be heated by the resonant transmitter.

3. An aerosol delivery apparatus according to claim 1, or an aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein one or more separators separate the base material into a plurality of separate longitudinal base material segments.

4. An aerosol delivery apparatus according to claim 1, or an aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein one or more separators separate the base material into a plurality of separate radial base material segments.

5. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, or an aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein one or more separators separate the base material into a plurality of longitudinal base material segments and a plurality of radial base material segments.

6. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, or the aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein the base material comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

7. The aerosol delivery apparatus according to claim 1, or the aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive porous disk.

8. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, or the aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive helical coil.

9. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, or the aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more separators comprises a conductive gathered web.

10. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 9, or the aerosol source member according to claim 9, wherein the conductive gathered web comprises a multilayer sheet.

11. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 10, or the aerosol source member according to claim 10, wherein the multilayer sheet comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

12. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, or the aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein the base material comprises a plurality of conductive particles mixed therein, and the plurality of conductive particles are further comprising an auxiliary susceptor configured to be heated by a resonant transmitter.

13. The base material contains cut filler tobacco material. or The base material contains extruded tobacco material. or The base material comprises a reconstituted tobacco sheet material. or The aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein the base material contains one or more of tobacco beads and tobacco powder.

14. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, or an aerosol source member according to claim 2, wherein one or more separators are configured for segmented heating of a base material.

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