Electronic smoking article with tactile feedback

Abstract

To provide an electronic smoking article adapted to provide haptic feedback to a user.SOLUTION: The smoking article can comprise a housing that includes a haptic feedback component, such as a vibration transducer. The smoking article can be formed of a control body and / or a cartridge, and the haptic feedback component may be present in any one or both of the control body and the cartridge. The haptic feedback component is adapted to generate a waveform that defines a status of the electronic smoking article. The disclosure also provides a method for providing haptic feedback in an electronic smoking article.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more particularly to means for providing a user with an indication of the state of such a device. The smoking article can be configured to heat a material that may be made from or derived from shredded tobacco or can incorporate shredded tobacco in another way so as to form an inhalable substance for human consumption.

Background Art

[0002] For many years, many smoking devices have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require the combustion of shredded tobacco for use. Many of these devices are intentionally designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without delivering as much of the incomplete combustion products and pyrolysis products resulting from the burning of shredded tobacco. To achieve this purpose, numerous smoking products, aroma generators, and drug inhalers that utilize electrical energy to evaporate or heat volatile substances, or attempts to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without burning shredded tobacco as much, have been proposed. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 432,406 filed on March 28, 2012, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 536,438 filed on June 28, 2012, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 602,871 filed on September 4, 2012, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 647,000 filed on October 8, 2012, for various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art.

[0003] Certain step tobacco products that generate heat using electrical energy to form smoke or aerosol, specifically certain products referred to as electronic cigarettes, are commercially available worldwide. Representative products that are similar in many attributes to traditional paper-wrapped cigarettes, cigars, or pipes include ACCORD (registered trademark) by Philip Morris Incorporated, ALPHA (trademark) by InnoVapor LLC, JOYE 510 (trademark), and M4 (trademark), CIRRUS (trademark) and FLING (trademark) by White Cloud Cigarettes, COHITA (trademark), COLIBRI (trademark), ELITE CLASSIC (trademark), MAGNUM (trademark), PHANTOM (trademark), and SENSE (trademark) by Epuffer (registered trademark) International Inc., DUOPRO (trademark), STORM (trademark), and VAPORKING (registered trademark) by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc., EGAR (trademark) by Egar Australia, eGo-C (trademark) and eGo-T (trademark) by Joyetech, ELUSION (trademark) by Elusion UK Ltd, EONSMOKE (registered trademark) by Eonsmoke LLC, GREEN SMOKE (registered trademark) by Green Smoke Inc. USA, GREENARETTE (trademark) by Greenarette LLC, HALLIGAN (trademark), HENDU (trademark), JET (trademark), MAXXQ (trademark), PINK (trademark), and PITBULL (trademark) by Smoke Stik (registered trademark), HEATBAR (trademark) by Philip Morris International, Inc., HYDRO IMPERIAL (trademark) and LXE (trademark) from Crown7, LOGIC (trademark) and THE CUBAN (trademark) by Logic Technology, LUCI (registered trademark) by Luciano Smokes Inc., METRO (registered trademark) by Nicotek, LLC, NJOY (registered trademark) and ONEJOY (trademark) by Sottera, Inc., NO. by SS Choice LLCThey are sold under the trademarks 7 (trademark), PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE (trademark) by PremiumEstore LLC, RAPP E-MYSTICK (trademark) by Ruyan America, Inc., RED DRAGON (trademark) by Red Dragon Products, LLC, RUYAN (registered trademark) by Ruyan Group (Holdings) Ltd., SMART SMOKER (registered trademark) by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd., SMOKE ASSIST (registered trademark) by Coastline Products LLC, SMOKING EVERYWHERE (registered trademark) by Smoking Everywhere, Inc., V2CIGS (trademark) by VMR Products LLC, VAPOR NINE (trademark) by VaporNine LLC, VAPOR4LIFE (registered trademark) by Vapor 4 Life, Inc., VEPPO (trademark) by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC, and VUSE (registered trademark) by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company. Additionally, other electric aerosol delivery devices, specifically those characterized as so-called electronic cigarettes, are sold under the brand names BLU (trademark), COOLER VISIONS (trademark), DIRECT E-CIG (trademark), DRAGONFLY (trademark), EMIST (trademark), EVERSMOKE (trademark), GAMUCCI (registered trademark), HYBRID FLAME (trademark), KNIGHT STICKS (trademark), ROYAL BLUES (trademark), SMOKETIP (registered trademark), and SOUTH BEACH SMOKE (trademark).

[0004] It is desirable to provide a smoking article that utilizes heat generated by electrical energy to provide a smoking sensation similar to that of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, without burning the cut tobacco very much, without requiring a combustion heat source, and without necessarily delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion products and pyrolysis products. Further, advancements in the manufacture of electronic smoking articles would be desirable.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure relates to materials useful for electronic smoking articles and similar personal devices and combinations thereof. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to elements adapted to provide notification of the state of an electronic smoking article. More specifically, the notification can be tactile. Thus, the smoking article or similar device can be adapted to provide a tactile indication of their state. Such tactile indication can be provided in addition to further indications such as visual or auditory indications. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a tactile electronic smoking article, a haptic electronic smoking article, or a vibrating electronic smoking article.

[0007] In some embodiments, the present disclosure can specifically provide an electronic smoking article comprising a housing including a haptic feedback component. The electronic smoking article can further comprise a microcontroller that communicates electrically with the haptic feedback component. Specifically, the microcontroller can be adapted to instruct the haptic feedback component to generate one or more different waveforms defining the state of the electronic smoking article. The instructions from the microcontroller can specifically correspond to an input. Further, the electronic smoking article can comprise a haptic driver that communicates electrically with the microcontroller and the haptic feedback component. The haptic driver can be adapted to convert one or more signals from the microcontroller into an output that instructs the haptic feedback component to form a haptic feedback defined by a waveform.

[0008] In some embodiments, the haptic feedback component can be a vibratory haptic actuator. For example, the vibratory haptic actuator can comprise an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motor. Specifically, the vibratory haptic actuator can have a cylindrical form factor or a coin form factor. In another non-limiting example, the vibratory haptic actuator can include a linear resonant actuator (LRA). As yet a further example, the vibratory haptic actuator can be adapted for electroactive polymer actuation, piezoelectric actuation, electrostatic actuation, or sonic actuation. In other embodiments, the haptic feedback component can be adapted for reverse-electrovibration.

[0009] In some embodiments, the housing of the present electronic smoking article can define a control body. Specifically, the control body can include a tactile feedback component, a microcontroller, and a power source. The control body can further include a flow sensor. The present electronic smoking article can also include a cartridge. Specifically, the cartridge can include a housing containing a heater and an aerosol precursor composition. The cartridge can further include a storage container adapted to contain the aerosol precursor composition. The composition may be in the storage container or may be absorbed or adsorbed by the storage container. The cartridge can also further include a transport element adapted to transport the aerosol precursor composition from the storage container to the heater.

[0010] The shape and dimensions of the tactile feedback component may vary. Preferably, the tactile feedback component can be of a shape and dimensions such that it is contained within a substantially cylindrical housing. In some embodiments, the tactile feedback component can have a width of about 8 mm or less.

[0011] In other embodiments, the present disclosure can relate to a method for providing tactile feedback in an electronic smoking article. In some embodiments, the method can include providing an electronic smoking article comprising a housing containing a tactile feedback component and a microcontroller, generating an input to the microcontroller, sending a command from the microcontroller to the tactile feedback component, and generating one or more different waveforms from the tactile feedback component. Specifically, the one or more different waveforms can define the state of the electronic smoking article.

[0012] The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0013] Embodiment 1: An electronic smoking article comprising a housing containing a tactile feedback component.

[0014] Embodiment 2: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, further comprising a microcontroller that communicates electrically with the tactile feedback component.

[0015] Embodiment 3: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the microcontroller is adapted to instruct the tactile feedback component to generate one or more different waveforms defining the state of the electronic smoking article.

[0016] Embodiment 4: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the instruction from the microcontroller corresponds to an input.

[0017] Embodiment 5: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, further comprising a tactile driver that communicates electrically with the microcontroller and the tactile feedback component.

[0018] Embodiment 6: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the tactile feedback component is a vibration-type tactile actuator.

[0019] Embodiment 7: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the vibration-type tactile actuator comprises an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motor.

[0020] Embodiment 8: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the vibration-type tactile actuator has a cylindrical form factor.

[0021] Embodiment 9: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the vibration-type tactile actuator has a coin-type form factor.

[0022] Embodiment 10: An electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments, wherein the vibration-type tactile actuator includes a linear resonance actuator (LRA).

[0023] Embodiment 11: The vibratory tactile actuator is an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments adapted for electroactive polymer operation.

[0024] Embodiment 12: The vibratory tactile actuator is an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments adapted for piezoelectric operation.

[0025] Embodiment 13: The vibratory tactile actuator is an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments adapted for electrostatic operation.

[0026] Embodiment 14: The vibratory tactile actuator is an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments adapted for sonic operation.

[0027] Embodiment 15: The vibratory tactile actuator is a vibration transducer of an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0028] Embodiment 16: The tactile feedback component is an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments adapted for inverse electron vibration.

[0029] Embodiment 17: The housing defines a control body comprising the tactile feedback component, a microcontroller, and a power source of an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0030] Embodiment 18: The control body further comprises a flow sensor of an electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0031] Embodiment 19: The electronic smoking article of any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments further comprises a cartridge adapted for connection to the control body.

[0032] Embodiment 20: The cartridge comprises a housing containing a heater and an aerosol precursor composition, an electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0033] Embodiment 21: The cartridge further comprises a reservoir adapted to contain the aerosol precursor composition, an electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0034] Embodiment 22: The cartridge further comprises a transport element adapted to transport the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the heater, an electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0035] Embodiment 23: The tactile feedback component has a width of about 8 mm or less, an electronic smoking article according to any of the preceding or subsequent embodiments.

[0036] Embodiment 24: A method for providing tactile feedback in an electronic smoking article, comprising providing the electronic smoking article comprising a housing containing a tactile feedback component and a microcontroller, generating an input to the microcontroller, sending a command from the microcontroller to the tactile feedback component, and generating one or more different waveforms from the tactile feedback component. Method.

[0037] Embodiment 25: The one or more different waveforms define the state of the electronic smoking article, the method of Embodiment 24.

[0038] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any two, three, four, or any combination of two or more of the above embodiments, as well as any combination of two, three, four, or more features described in the present disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read comprehensively such that any separable feature or element of the disclosed invention is considered combinable in any of its various aspects and embodiments, unless otherwise explicitly indicated in context.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039] Although the present disclosure has been generally described above, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0040] Next, the present disclosure will be described in further detail hereinafter with reference to its exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments are described such that the present disclosure is comprehensive and complete and fully conveys the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will meet the legal requirements to which it is applied. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0041] The present disclosure provides an explanation of mechanisms, components, features, and methods configured to provide tactile feedback. These mechanisms are described herein with respect to embodiments associated with aerosol delivery devices or smoking articles, so-called "electronic cigarettes", but it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in many different forms and may be associated with a variety of articles.

[0042] In this regard, the present disclosure provides an explanation of an aerosol delivery device that uses electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without burning the material so much) to form an inhalable substance, and such an article is most preferably small enough to be considered a "handheld" device. The aerosol delivery device can provide some or all of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., inhalation and exhalation actions, types of taste or flavor, sensory stimulation effects, physical feel, usage actions, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosol) without substantially burning any component of the article or device. The aerosol delivery device may not produce smoke in the sense of an aerosol produced by the by-products of the combustion or pyrolysis of shredded tobacco, rather, the article or device may produce a vapor (including the vapor in an aerosol that may be considered to be smoky and may be considered to be a visible aerosol described as such) resulting from the volatilization or evaporation of a particular component of the article or device. In highly preferred embodiments, the aerosol delivery device can incorporate shredded tobacco and / or components derived from shredded tobacco.

[0043] The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure can also be characterized as vapor generating articles, smoking articles, or drug delivery articles. Accordingly, such articles or devices can be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavor and / or pharmaceutically active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance may be in substantially the form of a vapor (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of solid particles or droplets in a gas). For the sake of brevity, as used herein, the term "aerosol" means any form or type of vapor, gas, and aerosol that is suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or not, and whether considered to be smoky or not.

[0044] In use, the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may be subjected to many of the physical actions used by individuals who use conventional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, or pipes that are lit and used by inhaling shredded tobacco). For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may hold the article in a manner similar to a conventional smoking article and draw on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article and smoke at selected time intervals.

[0045] The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include a number of components provided within an outer body or shell. The overall design of the outer body or shell may vary, and the appearance or configuration of the outer body that may define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device may also vary. Typically, an elongated body similar in shape to a cigarette or cigar may be formed from a single unitary shell, or the elongated body may be formed from two or more separate parts. For example, the aerosol delivery device may be substantially tubular in shape and thus may comprise an elongated shell or body similar in shape to a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one embodiment, all of the components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within one outer body or shell. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may comprise two or more shells that are coupled and separable. For example, the aerosol delivery device may comprise a control body having an outer body or shell that contains one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the article) at one end, and an outer body or shell having a disposable part (e.g., a disposable fragrance-containing cartridge) removably attached thereto at the other end. The more specific appearance, configuration, and arrangement within a single-shell type unit or within a separable multi-component shell type unit will become apparent in view of the further disclosure provided herein. In addition, the designs and component arrangements of various aerosol delivery devices can be understood in view of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices such as the representative products listed in the Background section.

[0046] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure most preferably includes a power source (i.e., a power supply), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the power for heating by controlling the current from the power source to other components of the article - e.g., a microcontroller), a heater or heating component (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element, or a component generally referred to as an "atomizer"), and an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., generally a liquid that can generate an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied, e.g., components generally referred to as "smoke juice", "e-liquid", and "e-juice"), and a mouth end region or tip (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article from which the generated aerosol can be drawn during inhalation) that enables the smoking article to be drawn for aerosol inhalation. Exemplary formulations for aerosol precursor materials that can be used in accordance with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The device of the present disclosure also specifically includes a tactile feedback component, which can be present in a single body article, a control body of a multi-body article, or a cartridge of a multi-body article.

[0047] The arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device can vary. In certain embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition can be disposed near an end of the article (e.g., inside a cartridge that can be replaceable and disposable in certain environments), which can be proximal to the user's mouth to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, the heating element can be positioned sufficiently close to the aerosol precursor composition such that heat from the heating element volatilizes the aerosol precursor (and, similarly, any one or more flavorants, drugs, etc. that may be provided for delivery to the user) and forms an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the user. It should be noted that the terms release, releasing, releases, or released are meant to be synonymous to include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Further, the selection of the various aerosol delivery device components can be understood in view of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices such as the representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure.

[0048] An aerosol delivery device incorporates a battery or other power source to provide sufficient current to provide various functionalities to the article, such as resistive heating, powering a control system, powering an indicator, etc. The power source can take various embodiments. Preferably, the power source is sufficient to rapidly heat a heating member to provide aerosol formation and deliver sufficient power to power the article through a desired period of use. The power source is preferably sized to conveniently fit within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled, and a preferred power source is sufficiently lightweight so as not to detract from the desired smoking experience.

[0049] One example embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 is provided in FIG. 1. As seen in the cross-section shown in the figure, the aerosol delivery device 100 can include a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 that can be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship. Although threading is shown in FIG. 1, it should be understood that additional means of engagement, such as press-fit engagement, interference fit, magnetic engagement, etc., may be used.

[0050] In certain embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery and can thus be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a typical power outlet, connection to a vehicle charger (i.e., cigarette lighter socket), and connection to a computer via a universal serial bus (USB) cable. For example, an adapter that includes a USB connector at one end and a control body connector at the opposite end is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 840,264, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, in some embodiments, the cartridge may include a single-use cartridge, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 603,612, filed Sep. 5, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0051] In the illustrated embodiment, the control body 102 includes control components 106 (e.g., a microcontroller), a flow sensor 108, and a battery 110 that can be variously arranged, and can also include a plurality of indicators 112 at the distal end 114 of the outer body 116. The indicators 112 may be provided in various numbers, can take different forms, and may even be openings in the body (such as to emit sound if such an indicator is present). In the illustrated embodiment, the tactile feedback component 101 is included within the control components 106. Thus, the tactile feedback component can be integrated with one or more components of the smoking article.

[0052] The air inlet 118 can be positioned on the outer body 116 of the control body 102. The coupler 120 is also included in the proximal attachment end 122 of the control body 102 and can extend into the control body protrusion 124 to facilitate electrical connection to its individual elements such as an atomizer, or a resistive heating element (described below) when the cartridge 104 is attached to the control body. The air inlet 118 is shown as being provided within the outer body 116, but in another embodiment, the air inlet may be provided within the coupler, for example, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 841,233, filed March 15, 2013.

[0053] To allow passage of air and entrained vapor (i.e., components of the aerosol precursor composition in inhalable form) from the cartridge to the consumer during inhalation of the aerosol delivery device 100, the cartridge 104 includes an outer body 126 having a mouth opening 128 at its mouth end 130. The aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-shaped, or substantially tubular-shaped, or substantially cylindrical in some embodiments. In other embodiments, additional shapes and dimensions such as, for example, rectangular or triangular cross-sections are included.

[0054] Cartridge 104 further includes an atomizer 132 that includes a resistive heating element 134 (e.g., a wire coil) configured to generate heat and a liquid transport element 136 (e.g., a wick) configured to transport liquid. Various embodiments of materials configured to generate heat when current is applied therethrough can be used to form the resistive heating element 134. Examples of materials that can form a wire coil include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum-doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)2), and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics). In addition to the above, representative heating elements and materials for use therein are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,093,894 to Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,224,498 to Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,322,075 to Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,353,813 to Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,468,936 to Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,498,850 to Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,659,656 to Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,498,855 to Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,530,225 to Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,573,692 to Das et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0055] Conductive heater terminals 138 (e.g., positive and negative terminals) at opposite ends of the heating element 134 are configured to direct current through the heating element and are configured for attachment to a suitable wiring or circuit (not shown) to form an electrical connection between the heating element and the battery 110 when the cartridge 104 is connected to the control body 102. Specifically, a plug 140 may be located at the distal mounting end 142 of the cartridge 104. When the cartridge 104 is connected to the control body 102, the plug 140 engages the coupler 120 to form an electrical connection, and as a result, current can flow controllably from the battery 110 through the coupler and plug to the heating element 134. The outer body 126 of the cartridge 104 may continue throughout the distal mounting end 142, and as a result, this end of the cartridge is substantially closed by the plug 140 protruding therefrom.

[0056] The reservoir can transport the aerosol precursor composition to the aerosolization region using a liquid transport element. One such example is shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen in the figure, in this embodiment, the cartridge 104 includes a reservoir layer 144 comprising a layer of non-woven fibers formed in the shape of a tube surrounding the inside of the outer body 126 of the cartridge. The aerosol precursor composition is held in the reservoir layer 144. The liquid component can be adsorbed and held, for example, by the reservoir layer 144. The reservoir layer 144 is in fluid communication with the liquid transport element 136. The liquid transport element 136 transports the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir layer 144 to the aerosolization region 146 of the cartridge 104 by capillary action. In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid transport element 136 is in direct contact with the heating element 134 in the form of a metal wire coil.

[0057] It is understood that aerosol delivery devices that can be manufactured in accordance with the present disclosure can include a variety of combinations of components useful in forming electronic aerosol delivery devices. For example, reference is made to the reservoir and heater for the controllable delivery of a plurality of aerosolizable materials in an electronic smoking article, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 536,438, filed June 28, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 602,871, filed September 4, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses an electronic smoking article that includes a micro heater.

[0058] In another embodiment, substantially the entire cartridge may be formed of one or more carbon materials, which can provide advantages in terms of biodegradability and the absence of wires. In this regard, the heating element may include a carbon foam, the reservoir may include carbon fiber, and graphite may be used to form the electrical connection between the battery and the controller. Such a carbon cartridge can be combined, in some embodiments, with one or more of the elements described herein to provide illumination of the cartridge. Examples of embodiments of carbon-based cartridges are provided in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 432,406, filed March 28, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0059] In use, when the user draws on the article 100, the heating element 134 is activated (e.g., by a flow sensor), and the components of the aerosol precursor composition evaporate within the aerosolization region 146. Drawing on the mouth end 130 of the article 100 causes ambient air to enter the air inlet 118 and pass through the central openings of the coupler 120 and the plug 140. Within the cartridge 104, the drawn air passes through the air passage 148 within the vent tube 150 and combines with the vapor formed in the aerosolization region 146 to form an aerosol. The aerosol is quickly removed from the aerosolization region 146 and passes through the air passage 152 within the vent tube 154 and out through the mouth opening 128 at the mouth end 130 of the article 100.

[0060] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be selected from components described in the art and are also commercially available. An example of a battery that can be used in accordance with the present disclosure is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0061] Exemplary mechanisms that can provide smoking actuation capabilities include the Model 163PC01D36 silicon sensor manufactured by the MicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc., Freeport, Ill. Further examples of electrical switches that can be used in the heating circuit according to the present disclosure and that operate in response to a request are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further descriptions of current regulation circuits and other control components including microcontrollers that may be useful in the aerosol delivery device are provided in U.S. Patents Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., and U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0062] An aerosol precursor may also be referred to as an aerosol precursor composition or a vapor precursor composition and can include one or more different components. For example, the aerosol precursor can include a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof). Representative types of additional aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al., PCT International Publication No. 98 / 57556 to Biggs et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] Additional components may also be utilized in the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al. discloses an indicator that can be used with a smoking article, U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr. et al. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of a device to detect the movement of a user's lips associated with inhalation and then cause heating, U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al. discloses a smoking sensor for controlling the energy flowing into a heating load array in response to a pressure drop through a mouthpiece, U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses a socket for a smoking device that includes a discriminator for detecting non-uniformities in the infrared transmittance of an inserted component and a controller for executing a detection routine when the component is inserted into the socket, and describes a predetermined executable power cycle having a plurality of differential phases, U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al. discloses photon and optoelectronic components, U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means for varying the draw resistance of a smoking device, U.S. Patent No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses a particular battery configuration for use in a smoking device, U.S. Patent No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with a smoking device, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. discloses computer interface means for a smoking device to facilitate charging and enable computer control of the device, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063 by Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for a smoking device, and International Publication No. 2010 / 003480 by Flick discloses a flow sensing system that suggests smoking in an aerosol generation system. All of the above disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.Components related to electronic aerosol delivery articles that can be used in the articles of the present invention, and further examples of the disclosed materials or components include U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,388,574 to Ingebrethsen, U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al., U.S. 6,164,287 to White, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 to Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 to Nichols, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi, U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 to Hamano, U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 to Shayan, U.S. Patent No. 8,156,944 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,375,957 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,393,331 to Hon, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0196518 and No. 2009 / 0188490, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0272379 to Thorens et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260641 and No. 2009 / 0260642 to Monsees et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008 / 0149118 and No. 2010 / 0024834 to Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 to Wang, International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 to Hon, International Publication No. 2013 / 089551 to Foo, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 841,233 filed on March 15, 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The various materials disclosed by the above documents may be incorporated into the devices of the present invention in various embodiments, and all of the above disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0064] Any combination of the elements described above can be utilized in the preparation of an aerosol delivery device (specifically, an electronic smoking article) according to embodiments of the present disclosure. A device so formed can specifically include a tactile feedback component, which can itself be an independent component of the device or can be combined with one or more additional components of the aerosol delivery device. The combination of the tactile feedback component and one or more additional components can involve the one or more additional components in providing tactile feedback.

[0065] An exemplary embodiment of a smoking article 200 according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 2 and can be formed from a housing 201 that can include control components 206, a flow sensor 208, a battery 210, an LED 212, and a tactile feedback component 220 that can be variously aligned. A tactile driver 222 can optionally be included.

[0066] The tactile elements present in a smoking article according to the present disclosure can include any component that is adapted to provide haptic feedback in a form factor that can be combined with the size and shape of the electronic smoking article. The tactile feedback component can specifically be adapted to apply a force, vibration, or movement to a user of the smoking article.

[0067] The tactile feedback component can communicate electrically with a microcontroller or similar element. Preferably, the microcontroller or similar element can be adapted to instruct the tactile feedback component to generate tactile feedback. For example, the instructions can direct the tactile feedback component to generate one or more different waveforms that can vary by a number of different combinations of amplitude, frequency, and duration. Such waveforms can define a relatively simple pattern such as a short pulse of a certain intensity or a relatively complex pattern such as a pulse of increasing and decreasing intensity.

[0068] The instructions provided to the tactile feedback component can correspond to the input provided to the microcontroller. Such input can be a manual input from the user or an input resulting from a further function of the smoking article. For example, the input can include actuation of a power button or the like by the user, or the input can include attachment of a cartridge to the control component. In a further example, the input can be a signal from a sensor or the like regarding, for example, the fluid level of a reservoir, powering a heater, or the like. The sensor can be in addition to or as may be present as described herein.

[0069] The tactile feedback provided in accordance with the present disclosure can specifically define the state of the smoking article. As non-limiting examples, the tactile feedback can define an operating state such as, for example, heating of a heater to form an aerosol, activation of the device, or deactivation of the device. The tactile feedback can define further states of the device such as, for example, a low reservoir level of a low aerosol precursor composition, a malfunction of the device for proper functioning, a proper connection of the control component to the cartridge, and the like. In some embodiments, the tactile feedback can be independent of the device state. For example, the tactile feedback can be provided to enhance the user experience associated with the device.

[0070] Taking into account the form factor of the electronic smoking article, the haptic feedback component may be adapted to function using only the current delivered by the microcontroller. However, in some embodiments, it may be useful to include a haptic driver, which may optionally be combined with the microcontroller or may be an independent element. More specifically, the driver may be an external differential amplifier or may be integrated within a single integrated circuit (IC) together with the haptic processor. The haptic driver can incorporate techniques such as, for example, an overdrive device (e.g., the motor is overdriven to reduce the time required to reach its nominal vibration level) and an active brake (e.g., the motor is decelerated to rest more quickly by applying a reverse voltage for an appropriate length of time). Incorporation of such techniques may specifically be useful to enable the haptic processor to automatically handle the generation of electrical signals.

[0071] The haptic feedback component can include a variety of elements adapted to provide haptic feedback. In some embodiments, the haptic feedback component can be a vibratory haptic actuator - for example, an element adapted to provide mechanical movement in response to an input or to an electrical stimulus as described herein. Such a component may also be described as a vibration transducer and can include any device adapted to convert an electrical input into a vibratory output. One example of a vibratory haptic actuator is, for example, an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motor such as one in which an unbalanced weight rotates around the motor shaft, causing displacement of the motor that translates into vibration. Most ERM motors can be advantageously powered by direct current. Electromagnetic vibration motors may be used. The ERM motor can be adapted for simple vibration or can be coupled to a suitable processor driver IC programmed to vary the motor speed to control the vibration amplitude and frequency and thus the waveform pattern generated by the smoking article.

[0072] In a further embodiment, the vibratory tactile actuator useful for the smoking article described herein can be a linear resonance actuator (LRA). Such devices typically include an internal magnetic mass and spring, and the current in the voice coil displaces the mass.

[0073] Vibratory tactile actuators such as ERM motors and LRAs can be provided in a variety of form factors. For example, the vibratory tactile actuator can be of a cylindrical form factor. In some embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator can be of a coin form factor (i.e., substantially coin-like in shape). A linear form factor is also included.

[0074] In some embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator can be adapted to substantially vibrate the entire electronic smoking article. In other words, the vibratory tactile actuator may not be coordinate specific. In other embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator may be adapted for touch coordinate specific responses and thus enable a local tactile effect at a specific location on the electronic smoking article. Thus, a vibratory tactile actuator useful in accordance with the present disclosure can include additional technology that can enable, in particular, touch coordinate specific responses. For example, in some embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator can be adapted for electroactive polymer actuation. In some embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator can be adapted for piezoelectric actuation. In some embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator can be adapted for electrostatic actuation. In some embodiments, the vibratory tactile actuator can be adapted for sonic actuation. Exemplary elements for causing vibrations within a device are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,515,842 to Ramseyer et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,196,219 to Hess et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,775,459 to Martens, III et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,845,359 to Montaser, and U.S. Patent No. 8,127,772 to Montaser, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0075] In certain embodiments, a tactile feedback component useful in accordance with the present disclosure can be adapted to provide touch coordinate specific responses and customizable tactile effects, such as defined waveforms. The customizable effects can be generated, in particular, by use of a low latency microcontroller or IC.

[0076] In other embodiments, the haptic feedback component can utilize technologies that do not require the use of an actuator. For example, the haptic feedback component can be adapted for inverse electrovibration, in which case a weak current flows from the device to the ground, and the oscillating electric field around the skin in contact with the device creates various sensations of friction depending on the shape, frequency, and amplitude of the signal. In further embodiments, the haptic feedback component can be adapted for piezoresistivity, in which case the level of force on the smoking article affects the vibration response.

[0077] The haptic feedback component can be sized and dimensioned to fit within a generally cylindrical housing. In some embodiments, the haptic feedback component can have a width or diameter of about 8 mm or less, about 7 mm or less, or about 6 mm or less, such as, for example, about 2 mm to about 8 mm, about 3 mm to about 7 mm, or about 4 mm to about 6 mm. The haptic feedback component can have a length of about 15 mm or less, about 10 mm or less, or about 5 mm or less, such as, for example, about 2 mm to about 15 mm, about 3 mm to about 12 mm, or about 4 mm to about 10 mm.

[0078] Returning to FIG. 2, the smoking article according to the present disclosure may also include a cartridge 204. The cartridge 204 may be formed by a housing 203 surrounding a reservoir 244 that is in fluid communication with a transport element 236 that transports an aerosol precursor composition stored in a reservoir, either adapted to the core or stored in another manner, to a heater 234. An opening 228 may be present in the cartridge housing 203 to allow the formed aerosol to exit the cartridge 204. Such components are representative of the components present in a cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of cartridge components encompassed by the present disclosure. The cartridge 204 may be adapted to engage with the control body 202 by a press-fit engagement between the control body protrusion 224 and the cartridge socket 240. Such engagement can facilitate a suitable connection between the control body 202 and the cartridge 204 and can also establish an electrical connection between the battery 210, the control components 206 within the control body, and the heater 234 within the cartridge. The cartridge 204 may also include one or more electronic components 250, which may include an IC, a memory component, a sensor, or the like. The electronic component 250 may be adapted to communicate with the tactile feedback component 220 and / or the control component 206 to provide an input. Further, the electronic component 250 may include a tactile feedback component.

[0079] In view of the above, the present disclosure also relates to a method for providing tactile feedback in an electronic smoking article. In some embodiments, the method according to the present disclosure can include providing an electronic smoking article as described herein. Specifically, the electronic smoking article can comprise a housing including a tactile feedback component and a microcontroller. The method can further include generating an input to the microcontroller. The generating step can be a manual function by the user (e.g., by pressing a button or touching a capacitive screen on the device), or an automatic function resulting from the general use of the device by an individual (e.g., heating of the heater when the user inhales on the device). The method can also include delivering an instruction from the microcontroller to the tactile feedback component. A single instruction may be provided, or the microcontroller may be adapted to provide a number of different instructions that can vary based on the input provided. Further, the method can include generating one or more different waveforms from the tactile feedback component. The waveforms can directly correspond to the instructions from the microcontroller and thus can vary based on the input provided.

[0080] One or more different waveforms can specifically define the state of the electronic smoking article. The state of the electronic smoking article can be related to the function of the device. For example, when the user inhales on the smoking article to heat the heater and thus form an aerosol, the tactile feedback component can generate a waveform (e.g., a vibration or a buzzer effect) that alerts the user of the operating state of the device. Thus, the state defined by the waveform is that the device is functioning properly or is in a heating state. In another example, when the user attaches a cartridge to the control body, the tactile feedback component can generate a waveform (e.g., one or more vibrations whose intensity can vary by the duration of the vibration) that alerts the user that the cartridge is operatively connected to the control body and can be used for typical operation.

[0081] The state of the electronic smoking article can also be related to qualitative factors. For example, the smoking article according to the present disclosure may include one or more sensors that can monitor conditions such as the amount of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the storage container or the battery remaining amount. When the amount of aerosol precursor composition in the storage container or the battery remaining amount falls below a predetermined level, the tactile feedback component can generate a waveform that warns the user of the low aerosol precursor composition state or low battery state of the device. Different waveforms may be predetermined to correspond to specific states of the device, and the user may be able to quickly identify the state based on the generated waveform.

[0082] Those skilled in the art of the technology related to the present disclosure, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the above description and the related drawings, will envision many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used for illustrative purposes only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. An electronic smoking article, comprising: Housing, a reservoir within the housing, the reservoir configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition; an evaporation component within the housing, the evaporation component configured to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition; and First Electrical Connection Component A cartridge comprising: a housing defining a distal end and a proximal mounting end; a microcontroller within said housing; a tactile feedback component within said housing; a haptic driver within said housing; and Second Electrical Connection Component A control body having Equipped with The microcontroller is configured to deliver an instruction to the tactile feedback component via the tactile driver when an electrical connection is formed between the first electrical connection component and the second electrical connection component, the instruction being effective to cause the tactile feedback component to generate a defined waveform indicating that the cartridge is in operative connection with the control body.

2. The electronic smoking article described in claim 1, wherein the control body further includes a power source.

3. The electronic smoking article of claim 2, wherein the cartridge has a mouth end and a distal mounting end.

4. The electronic smoking article described in claim 3, wherein the first electrical connection component is a plug located at the distal mounting end of the cartridge.

5. The electronic smoking article described in claim 2, wherein the control body has a distal end and a proximal mounting end.

6. The electronic smoking article described in claim 5, wherein the second electrical connection component is a connector located at the proximal mounting end of the control body.

7. The electronic smoking article described in claim 1, wherein the control body further comprises a flow sensor.

8. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is provided with a heating element.

9. The electronic smoking article of claim 8, wherein the cartridge further comprises a liquid transport element configured to transport aerosol precursor components from the storage container to the heating element.

10. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback component is adapted to apply a force or movement to a user.

11. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the instructions delivered to the tactile feedback component via the tactile driver are effective to cause the tactile feedback component to generate a plurality of different waveforms that vary with different combinations of amplitude, frequency, and duration.

12. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tactile driver is an external differential amplifier.

13. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tactile driver is integrated with the tactile processor within a single integrated circuit (IC).

14. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tactile driver is configured for overdrive operation to reduce the time required to reach a nominal vibration level.

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