Wicking Element for Aerosol Delivery Device

Abstract

To provide a liquid transport element for an aerosol precursor composition for use in an aerosol delivery device to improve formation of the aerosol delivery device.SOLUTION: An aerosol delivery device includes an outer housing, a reservoir containing a liquid, a heater configured to vaporize the liquid, and a liquid transport element 336 configured to provide the liquid to the heater. The liquid transport element includes a rigid monolith 360. At least a portion of the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical. The cylindrical portion has an exterior surface 362 and a longitudinal axis L. The exterior surface has at least one discontinuity 366.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and components thereof, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices (e.g., commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes) that can utilize electrically generated heat for aerosol generation. The aerosol delivery device may be manufactured from tobacco, derived from tobacco, or otherwise configured to heat an aerosol precursor that can incorporate materials that may incorporate tobacco, and the precursor can form an inhalable substance for human consumption.

Background Art

[0002] Over the years, many devices have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require burning tobacco for use. Many of these devices are designed to provide the sensations associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes, but are said not to deliver significant amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products resulting from the burning of tobacco. For this purpose, many smoking products, flavor generators and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile materials or to provide the smoking sensations of cigarettes, cigars or pipes without significantly burning the tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking products, aerosol delivery devices and heat sources described in the background art of Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320, Griffith Jr. et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702, and Sears et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781, which are incorporated herein by reference. Also see, for example, the various types of smoking products, aerosol delivery devices and electric heat sources referred to by trademark name and commercial supplier described in Bless et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] Typical products that are similar in many attributes to traditional paper-wrapped cigarettes, cigars or pipes include ACCORD(R) manufactured by Philip Morris Incorporated, ALPHA(TM) manufactured by InnoVapor LLC, JOYE 510(TM) and M4(TM), CIRRUS(TM) and FLING(TM) manufactured by White Cloud Cigarettes, BLU(TM) manufactured by Fontem Ventures B.V., COHITA(TM), COLIBRI(TM), ELITE CLASSIC(TM), MAGNUM(TM), PHANTOM(TM) and SENSE(TM) manufactured by EPUFFER(R) International Inc., DUOPRO(TM), STORM(TM) and VAPORKING(R) manufactured by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc., EGAR(TM) manufactured by Egar Australia, eGo-C(TM) and eGo-T(TM) manufactured by Joyetech, ELUSION(TM) manufactured by Elusion UK Ltd, EONSMOKE(R) manufactured by Eonsmoke LLC, FIN(TM) manufactured by FIN Branding Group, LLC, SMOKE(R) manufactured by Green Smoke Inc. USA, GREENARETTE(TM) manufactured by Greenarette LLC, HALLIGAN(TM), HENDU(TM), JET(TM), MAXXQ(TM), PINK(TM) and PITBULL(TM) manufactured by SMOKE STIK(R), HEATBAR(TM) manufactured by Philip Morris International, Inc., HYDRO IMPERIAL(TM) and LXE(TM) manufactured by Crown7, LOGIC(TM) and THE CUBAN(TM) manufactured by Logic Technology, LUCI(R) manufactured by Luciano Smokes Inc., METRO(R) manufactured by Nicotek, LLC, NJOY(R) and ONEJOY(TM) manufactured by Sottera, Inc., NO.7(TM) manufactured by SS Choice LLC, PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE(TM) manufactured by PremiumEstore LLC, Ruyan America, Inc.They are commercially available as the manufactured RAPP E-MYSTICK(TM), RED DRAGON(TM) manufactured by Red Dragon Products, LLC, RUYAN(R) manufactured by Ruyan Group(Holdings)Ltd., SF(R) manufactured by Smoker Friendly International, LLC, GREEN SMART SMOKER(R) manufactured by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd., SMOKE ASSIST(R) manufactured by Coastline Products LLC, SMOKING EVERYWHERE(R) manufactured by Smoking Everywhere, Inc., V2CIGS(TM) manufactured by VMR Products LLC, VAPOR NINE(TM) manufactured by VaporNine LLC, VAPOR4LIFE(R) manufactured by Vapor 4 Life, Inc., VEPPO(TM) manufactured by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC, VUSE(R) manufactured by R.J.Reynolds Vapor Company, Mistic Menthol products manufactured by Mistic Ecigs, and Vype products manufactured by CN Creative Ltd, IQOS(TM) manufactured by Philip Morris International, and GLO(TM) manufactured by British American Tobacco. Further, other electric aerosol delivery devices, particularly those characterized as so-called electronic cigarettes, are commercially available under the trade names of COOLER VISIONS(TM), DIRECT E-CIG(TM), DRAGONFLY(TM), EMIST(TM), EVERSMOKE(TM), GAMUCCI(R), HYBRID FLAME(TM), KNIGHT STICKS(TM), ROYAL BLUES(TM), SMOKETIP(R) and SOUTH BEACH SMOKE(TM).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] It is desirable to provide a liquid transport element for an aerosol precursor composition for use in an aerosol delivery device, and the liquid transport element is provided to improve the formation of the aerosol delivery device. It would also be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device manufactured to utilize such a liquid transport element.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0006] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device and elements of such a device. An aerosol delivery device and an improved wicking element can be particularly integrated to form a vapor formation unit, and the vapor formation unit can be combined with a power unit to form an aerosol delivery device.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure can provide a liquid transport element including a rigid monolith. The rigid monolith has an outer surface and a longitudinal axis. The outer surface has at least one discontinuity.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure can provide an atomizer comprising a fluid transport element including a rigid monolith. The rigid monolith has an outer surface and a longitudinal axis. The outer surface has at least one discontinuity. The atomizer also has a heater with a conductive heating element that engages the discontinuity. The conductive heating element is configured to generate heat by resistive heating or inductive heating.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure can provide an aerosol delivery device comprising an outer housing, a reservoir for containing a liquid, a heater configured to vaporize the liquid, and a liquid transport element configured to provide the liquid to the heater. The liquid transport element comprises a rigid monolith. At least a portion of the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical. The cylindrical portion comprises an outer surface and a longitudinal axis. The outer surface comprises at least one discontinuity.

[0010] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure encompasses any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements listed in any one or more of the claims, whether or not such features or elements are explicitly combined or listed in the description of a particular embodiment or the claims of this specification. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole such that, in any of its aspects and embodiments, any separable feature or element of the present disclosure appears as intended, i.e., combinable, unless the context of the present disclosure clearly indicates otherwise.

[0011] The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0012] Embodiment 1: A liquid transport element for an aerosol delivery device, the liquid transport element comprising a rigid monolith, the rigid monolith comprising an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, the outer surface comprising at least one discontinuity.

[0013] Embodiment 2: The liquid transport element of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least a portion of the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical.

[0014] Embodiment 3: The liquid transport element of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the at least one discontinuity is an opening to a pore.

[0015] Embodiment 4: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the hole has a hole axis that forms an angle with the longitudinal axis.

[0016] Embodiment 5: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the hole extends radially with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0017] Embodiment 6: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the hole comprises a plurality of holes arranged along and around the longitudinal axis.

[0018] Embodiment 7: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the rows of the array extend along the longitudinal axis over at least a part of the length of the cylinder.

[0019] Embodiment 8: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the holes in one row are arranged staggeredly with respect to the holes in adjacent rows.

[0020] Embodiment 9: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the holes in one row are aligned with the holes in adjacent rows.

[0021] Embodiment 10: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein at least one discontinuous portion is a spiral groove that extends around and along the longitudinal axis over at least a part of the length of the cylinder.

[0022] Embodiment 11: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the pitch of the spiral groove varies along the longitudinal axis.

[0023] Embodiment 12: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the spiral groove has a plurality of contact portions having a first pitch and a heating portion arranged between the contact portions and having a second pitch, and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch.

[0024] Embodiment 13: The liquid transport element of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the first pitch is substantially equal to the diameter of the wire.

[0025] Embodiment 14: A liquid transport element according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the spiral groove further comprises a plurality of end portions, the groove within the end portion has a third pitch, the first pitch is smaller than the third pitch, and the second pitch is smaller than the third pitch.

[0026] Embodiment 15: A liquid transport element according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the cylindrical portion is hollow.

[0027] Embodiment 16: A liquid transport element according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the rigid monolith is a porous ceramic or a porous glass.

[0028] Embodiment 17: A liquid transport element according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the outer surface is substantially planar.

[0029] Embodiment 18: A liquid transport element according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one discontinuous portion is a continuous groove that cuts a path along the outer surface.

[0030] Embodiment 19: An atomizer comprising a fluid transport element, wherein the fluid transport element comprises a rigid monolith, the rigid monolith comprises an outer surface, a longitudinal axis, and a heater, the outer surface comprises at least one discontinuous portion, the heater comprises a conductive heating element that engages the discontinuous portion, and the conductive heating element is configured to generate heat by resistive heating or inductive heating.

[0031] Embodiment 20: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the heating element is a wire.

[0032] Embodiment 21: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least a portion of the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical.

[0033] Embodiment 22: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one discontinuous portion is an opening to a hole.

[0034] Embodiment 23: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the hole extends radially with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0035] Embodiment 24: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the hole portion extends at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0036] Embodiment 25: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the hole portion includes a plurality of hole portions arranged along at least a part of the length of the cylinder, along the longitudinal axis, and around the longitudinal axis.

[0037] Embodiment 26: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the rows of the arrangement extend along the longitudinal axis, and the hole portions in one row are arranged alternately with respect to the hole portions in the adjacent rows.

[0038] Embodiment 27: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the rows of the arrangement extend along the longitudinal axis, and the hole portions in one row are aligned with respect to the hole portions in the adjacent rows.

[0039] Embodiment 28: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one discontinuous portion is a spiral groove extending around and along the longitudinal axis over at least a part of the length of the cylinder.

[0040] Embodiment 29: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the pitch of the spiral groove varies along the longitudinal axis, and the spiral groove has a plurality of contact portions having a first pitch and a heating portion disposed between the contact portions having a second pitch, and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch.

[0041] Embodiment 30: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the spiral groove further includes a plurality of end portions defining a third pitch, the first pitch is smaller than the third pitch, and the second pitch is smaller than the third pitch.

[0042] Embodiment 31: An atomizer according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the outer surface is substantially planar, and at least one discontinuous portion is a continuous groove that cuts a path along the outer surface.

[0043] Embodiment 32: An aerosol delivery device comprising an outer housing, a reservoir for containing a liquid, a heater configured to vaporize the liquid, and a liquid transport element configured to provide the liquid to the heater, wherein the liquid transport element comprises a rigid monolith, at least a part of the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical, the cylindrical portion has an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, and the outer surface has at least one discontinuity.

[0044] Accordingly, it will be understood that this summary is provided only for the purpose of summarizing some exemplary implementations in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it will be understood that the above exemplary implementations are merely examples and should in no way be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Other exemplary implementations, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate the principles of some of the described exemplary implementations by way of example. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the above-described embodiments, as well as any combination of any two, three, four, or more features or elements described in the present disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole so that, in any of its various aspects and embodiments, any separable feature or element of the disclosed invention appears to be combinable as intended, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0045] Aspects of the present disclosure have been described in the foregoing general terms and reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0046]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to its exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described so that the present disclosure is thorough 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 the present disclosure meets the applicable legal requirements. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0048] As described below, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an aerosol delivery system. The aerosol delivery system according to the present disclosure uses electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without significantly burning the material and / or without significantly chemically changing the material) to form an inhalable substance, and the components of such a system most preferably have a form of an article small enough to be considered a handheld device. That is, no smoke is generated using the components of the preferred aerosol delivery system (i.e., from the by-products of tobacco combustion or pyrolysis), rather, using those preferred systems generates vapors due to the volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. In a preferred embodiment, the components of the aerosol delivery system may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and these electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0049] The aerosol generating component of a particular preferred aerosol delivery device can provide a number of sensations (e.g., form of inhalation and exhalation, type of taste or flavor, sensory stimulation effect, physical feel, form of use, visual stimulation as provided by the visible aerosol, etc.) that are experienced when smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe that is used by igniting and burning tobacco (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke) without substantially burning any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to some exemplary implementations of the present disclosure can hold and use its components in the same manner as a smoker uses a conventional smoking article, take one end of the component into the mouth to inhale the aerosol generated by the component, and smoke at selected time intervals, etc.

[0050] The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure can also be characterized as vapor-generating articles or drug-delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavor and / or pharmaceutically active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance can be in substantially the form of vapor (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance can be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For clarity, the term "aerosol" as used herein means a form or type of vapor, gas, and aerosol suitable for human inhalation, regardless of whether it is visible or can be regarded as smoky.

[0051] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure generally includes a number of components provided within an outer body or shell that can generally be referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell can be changed, and the form or configuration of the outer body that can define the overall dimensions and shape of the aerosol delivery device can be changed. Typically, an elongated body similar in shape to a cigarette or cigar can be formed from a single integral housing, or the elongated housing can be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device can have a substantially tubular shape and can include an elongated shell or body that is similar in shape to a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one embodiment, all components of the aerosol delivery device are housed within one housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device can include two or more housings that are joined and separable. For example, the aerosol delivery device can have at one end a control body (or power unit) that includes a housing for housing one or more components (e.g., a battery and various electronics for controlling the operation of the article), and at the other end a removably attached outer body or shell that houses aerosol-forming components (e.g., one or more aerosol precursor components such as a flavor and an aerosol-forming agent, one or more heaters, and / or one or more wicks).

[0052] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can be formed from an outer housing or shell that is not substantially tubular but can be formed to have a substantially relatively large size. The housing or shell can be configured to include a mouthpiece and / or can include a consumable element such as a liquid aerosol-forming agent and can be configured to receive a separate shell (e.g., a cartridge or tank) that includes a vaporizer or atomizer.

[0053] As will be described in further detail below, the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure comprises some combination of a drive source (i.e., a power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping power for heating by, for example, controlling the flow of current from the power source to other components of the article (e.g., individually or as part of a microcontroller, a microprocessor)), a heater or heating member (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 a substrate portion capable of generating an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied. In various implementations, the aerosol source member may include a mouthpiece end or tip configured to enable suction of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article such that the generated aerosol can be drawn therefrom during suction). The more specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of the components within the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure will become apparent in light of the further disclosure provided below. Further, the selection and arrangement of the various aerosol delivery system components can be understood in view of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices such as the representative products referenced in the background art section of the present disclosure.

[0054] An exemplary embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 showing components available for use in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1. The aerosol delivery device 100 can comprise a power unit 102 and a cartridge 104 that can be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship as seen in the cutaway view shown therein. The engagement between the power unit 102 and the cartridge 104 can be, for example, press-fit, screwed, interference fit, magnetic, etc. (as shown). Specifically, connection components as further described herein may be used. For example, the power unit may include a coupler configured to engage a connector on the cartridge.

[0055] In certain embodiments, one or both of the power unit 102 and the cartridge 104 may be referred to as disposable or reusable.

[0056] For example, the control body 102 may have a rechargeable battery or a rechargeable battery, a solid-state battery, a thin-film solid-state battery, a rechargeable supercapacitor, etc. Therefore, connection to a wall charger, connection to a vehicle charger (i.e., a cigarette socket), and connection to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type C), a photovoltaic cell (sometimes called a solar cell), or a connection to a solar panel of a solar cell, a wireless charger such as a charger that uses inductive wireless charging (including, for example, wireless charging compliant with the Qi wireless charging standard by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)), or any type of charging technology including a radio frequency (RF)-based charger may be combined. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further, in some implementations, 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 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 1, the power supply unit 102 can be formed from a power supply unit shell 101 that can include a control component 106 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB), integrated circuit, memory component, microcontroller, etc.), a flow sensor 108, a battery 110, and an LED 112, and such components can be variably aligned. In addition to or as an alternative to the LED, additional indicators (e.g., a tactile feedback component, an audio feedback component, etc.) can be included. Components that provide a visual stimulus, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) component, or additional representative types of indicators, as well as their configurations and uses, are incorporated herein by reference in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent No. 9,451,791 to Sears et al., as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020825 to Galloway et al. It is understood that none of the illustrated elements are necessary. For example, the LED can be replaced with a different indicator, such as a vibration indicator, even if it is not present. Similarly, the flow sensor can be replaced with a manual actuator, such as a push button.

[0058] Cartridge 104 can be formed from a cartridge shell 103 surrounding a reservoir 144 that is in fluid communication with a liquid transport element 136 adapted to draw or otherwise transport the aerosol precursor composition stored within the reservoir housing to heater 134. The liquid transport element can be formed from one or more materials configured to transport liquid, such as by capillary action. In general, the liquid transport element can be formed from, for example, fibrous materials (such as organic cotton, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose cloth, glass fiber), porous ceramics, porous carbon, graphite, porous glass, sintered glass beads, sintered ceramic beads, capillaries, and the like. In general, the liquid transport element can be any material that includes an open pore network (i.e., a plurality of pores interconnected such that fluid can flow from one pore to another in multiple directions through the element). As further described herein, some embodiments of the present disclosure can relate, in particular, to the use of non-fiber transport elements. Thus, fiber transport elements can be explicitly excluded. Alternatively, a combination of fiber transport elements and non-fiber transport elements may be utilized.

[0059] To form the heater 134, various embodiments of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied may be used. Examples of materials from which a wire coil can be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nichrome, nickel, stainless steel, indium tin oxide, tungsten, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum-doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)2), titanium, platinum, silver, palladium, alloys of silver and palladium, graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and threads), conductive inks, boron-doped silica, and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). The heater 134 may be a resistive heating element or a heating element configured to generate heat by induction. The heater 134 can be coated with a thermally conductive ceramic, such as aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, alumina, silicon nitride, or a composite material thereof.

[0060] To enable the formed aerosol to be discharged from the cartridge 104, an opening 128 may be present within the cartridge shell 103 (e.g., at the suction end). Such components are representative of components that can be present within the cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of the cartridge components encompassed by the present disclosure.

[0061] The cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components 150 that can include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors, etc. The electronic components 150 may be adapted to communicate with the control component 106 and / or an external device by wired or wireless means. The electronic components 150 may be disposed anywhere within the cartridge 104 or its base 140.

[0062] Although the control component 106 and the flow sensor 108 are shown separately, it is understood that the control component and the flow sensor may be combined as an electronic circuit board to which the air flow sensor is directly attached. Further, the electronic circuit board may be disposed horizontally with respect to the figure of FIG. 1 in that the electronic circuit board can be parallel to the central axis of the power unit in the length direction. In some embodiments, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board or other base element to which it can be attached. In some embodiments, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. The flexible circuit board may be configured in various shapes including a substantially tubular shape. For example, the configuration of a printed circuit board and a pressure sensor is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,839,238 to Worm et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] The power unit 102 and the cartridge 104 may include components configured to facilitate fluid engagement therebetween. As shown in FIG. 1, the power unit 102 can include a coupler 124 having a cavity 125 therein. The cartridge 104 can include a base 140 adapted to engage the coupler 124 and can include a protrusion 141 adapted to fit within the cavity 125. Such engagement facilitates a stable connection between the power unit 102 and the cartridge 104 and can establish an electrical connection between the battery 110 and the control component 106 within the power unit and the heater 134 within the cartridge. Further, the power unit shell 101 can include an air inlet 118, which can be a notch within the shell, where the notch connects to the coupler 124, thereby allowing ambient air around the coupler to pass into the shell, then through the cavity 125 of the coupler, and into the cartridge via the protrusion 141.

[0064] Useful couplers and bases according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,609,893 to Novak et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. For example, as seen in FIG. 1, the coupler may define an outer periphery 126 configured to mate with the inner periphery 142 of the base 140. In one embodiment, the inner periphery of the base may define a radius that is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. Further, the coupler 124 may define one or more protrusions 129 on the outer periphery 126 configured to engage one or more recesses 178 defined in the inner periphery of the base. However, various other embodiments of structure, shape, and components may be used to connect the coupler to the base. In some embodiments, the connection between the base 140 of the cartridge 104 and the coupler 124 of the power unit 102 may be substantially permanent, whereas in other embodiments, the connection therebetween may be releasable such that, for example, the power unit can be reused with one or more additional cartridges that may be disposable and / or refillable.

[0065] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 100 may be generally rod-shaped or generally tube-shaped or generally cylindrical. In other embodiments, additional shapes and dimensions are included, such as a rectangular or triangular cross-section, a polyhedral shape, and the like. Specifically, the power unit 102 need not be rod-shaped, but rather may be substantially rectangular, circular, or have some additional shape. Similarly, the power unit 102 may be substantially larger than a power unit that would be expected to be of substantially conventional cigarette dimensions.

[0066] The reservoir 144 shown in FIG. 1 can be a container (e.g., formed from a wall that is substantially impermeable to the aerosol precursor composition) or can be a fibrous reservoir. The wall of the container can be flexible and foldable. Alternatively, the wall of the container can be substantially rigid. The container is preferably substantially sealed to prevent passage of the aerosol precursor composition except through any specific opening explicitly provided for passage of the aerosol precursor composition, such as via a transport element described separately herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the reservoir 144 can comprise one or more layers of non-woven fibers substantially formed in the shape of a tube surrounding the interior of the cartridge shell 103. The aerosol precursor composition can be held in the reservoir 144. For example, the liquid component can be sorptively held by the reservoir 144 (i.e., if the reservoir 144 comprises a fibrous material). The reservoir 144 can be in fluid connection with the liquid transport element 136. In this embodiment, the liquid transport element 136 can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir 144 to the heating element 134 in the form of a metal wire coil via capillary action. Thus, the heating element 134 is in a heating configuration with the liquid transport element 136. The heating element 134 is not limited to a resistive heating element that makes direct electrical contact with the power source 110 and can also include an inductive heating element configured to generate heat as a result of eddy currents generated in the presence of an alternating magnetic field.

[0067] During use, when the user sucks on article 100, an air flow is detected by sensor 108, heating element 134 is activated, and the components of the aerosol precursor composition are vaporized by heating element 134. When sucking on the mouth end of article 100, ambient air enters intake port 118 and passes through cavity 125 in coupler 124 and the central opening in protrusion 141 of base 140. In cartridge 104, the drawn air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is either blown from heating element 134, inhaled, or otherwise drawn and exits through mouth opening 128 within the mouth end of article 100. Alternatively, in the absence of an airflow sensor, heating element 134 may be manually activated, such as by a push button.

[0068] The aerosol delivery device may include an input element (which may replace or complement an airflow sensor or a pressure sensor). The input may be included to enable the user to control the functions of the device and / or to output information to the user. Any component or combination of components may be utilized as an input for controlling the functions of the device. For example, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,839,238 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, one or more push buttons may be used. Similarly, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0262454 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, a touch screen may be used. As a further example, a component adapted for gesture recognition based on a particular movement of the aerosol delivery device may be used as an input. See U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0158782 to Henry et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. As yet another example, a capacitance sensor may be implemented in the aerosol delivery device to enable the user to provide an input, such as by touching the surface of the device on which the capacitance sensor is implemented.

[0069] In some embodiments, the input may include a computer or computing device such as a smartphone or tablet. Specifically, the aerosol delivery device may be wired to a computer or other device via the use of a USB cord or similar protocol. The aerosol delivery device may also communicate with a computer or other device acting as an input via wireless communication. For example, reference is made to the systems and methods for controlling a device via a read request as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007561 to Ampolini et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In such embodiments, an application or other computer program may be used in connection with the computer or other computing device to input control instructions to the aerosol delivery device, such control instructions including, for example, the ability to form an aerosol of a particular composition by selecting the nicotine content and / or the content of additional flavorings contained therein.

[0070] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be selected from components described and commercially available in the art. Examples of batteries that can be used in accordance with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0071] The aerosol delivery device can incorporate a sensor or detector for controlling the supply of power to the heating element when aerosol generation is desired (e.g., when inhaled during use). Thus, for example, a mode or method is provided in which the power supply to the heating element is turned off when the aerosol delivery device is not being inhaled during use, and the power supply is turned on to activate or cause heat generation by the heating element during inhalation. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT International Publication No. 2010 / 003480 to Flick, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] Most preferably, the aerosol delivery device incorporates a control mechanism for controlling the amount of power to the heating element during inhalation. Representative types of electronic components, their structures and configurations, their characteristics, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0257445 to Henry et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0073] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in Newton U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569, Chapman et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 and Bless et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232, which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, various wicking materials and the construction and operation of those wicking materials in certain types of electronic cigarettes are described in Sears et al. U.S. Patent No. 8,910,640, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0074] In an aerosol delivery system characterized as an electronic cigarette, the aerosol precursor composition most preferably incorporates tobacco or tobacco-derived components. In some respects, the tobacco may be provided as a portion or piece of tobacco such as finely ground, shredded or powdered tobacco flakes. In other respects, the tobacco may be provided in the form of an extract (e.g., an extract from which nicotine is derived) such as a spray-dried extract incorporating many of the water-soluble components of the tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco extract may have the form of a relatively high-concentration nicotine-containing extract incorporating also a small amount of other extract components derived from the tobacco. In other respects, tobacco-derived components may be provided in a relatively pure form such as a particular flavor derived from the tobacco. In some respects, a component derived from the tobacco and that may be used in a highly purified form or an essentially pure form is nicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical grade nicotine).

[0075] An aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as a vapor precursor composition, may contain various components such as, for example, polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts and / or flavorants. Most preferably, the aerosol precursor composition is composed of a combination or mixture of various raw materials or components. The selection of specific aerosol precursor components and the relative amounts of those components used may be varied to control the overall chemical composition of the mainstream aerosol produced by the aerosol generating device. Of particular interest are aerosol precursor compositions that can be characterized as being generally liquid in nature. For example, a typical generally liquid aerosol precursor composition may have the form of a solution, a viscous gel, a mixture of miscible components, or a liquid incorporating suspended or dispersed components. A typical aerosol precursor composition can vaporize when exposed to heat under the conditions experienced during use of the aerosol generating device, which is a feature of the present disclosure, and can thus produce vapors and aerosols that can be inhaled.

[0076] According to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may contain or incorporate tobacco, tobacco components or tobacco-derived materials (i.e., materials that can be directly separated from tobacco, materials naturally found in tobacco, or materials that can be synthetically prepared). For example, the aerosol delivery device may contain an amount of flavorful and aromatic tobacco in cut filler form. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain tobacco, tobacco components or tobacco-derived materials that have been processed to provide desired qualities, such as those processed according to the methods described in U.S. Patent No. 9,066,538 to Chen et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,155,334 to Moldoveanu et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,681,681 and U.S. Patent No. 9,980,509 to Marshall et al., the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0077] As described above, highly purified tobacco-derived nicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical-grade nicotine having a purity greater than 98% or greater than 99%) or derivatives thereof can be used in the devices of the present disclosure. Representative nicotine-containing extracts can be provided using the techniques described in U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. In certain embodiments, the products of the present disclosure can include any form of nicotine obtained from any source, whether tobacco-derived or synthetic-derived. The nicotine compounds used in the products of the present disclosure can include nicotine in free base form, salt form, as a complex, or as a solvate. See, for example, the description of nicotine in free base form in U.S. Patent No. 8,771,348 to Hansson, which is incorporated herein by reference. At least a portion of the nicotine compound can be used in the form of a resin complex of nicotine, such as nicotine polacrillex, in which nicotine is bound in an ion exchange resin. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 3,901,248 to Lichtneckert et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. At least a portion of the nicotine can be used in salt form. Nicotine salts can be provided using starting materials and techniques of the types described in U.S. Patent No. 2,033,909 to Cox et al. and Perfetti, Beitrage Tabakforschung Int., 12, 43-54 (1983). Further, nicotine salts are available from suppliers such as Pfaltz and Bauer, Inc. and K&K Laboratories, Division of ICN Biochemicals, Inc. Exemplary pharmaceutically acceptable nicotine salts include tartrates (e.g., nicotine tartrate and nicotine bitartrate), chloride compounds (e.g., nicotine hydrochloride and nicotine dihydrochloride), sulfates, perchlorates, ascorbates, fumarates, citrates, malates, lactates, aspartates, salicylates, tosylates, succinates, pyruvates of nicotine salts, nicotine salt hydrates (e.g., nicotine zinc chloride monohydrate), and the like.In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the nicotine compound is in the form of a salt having an organic acid moiety including, but not limited to, levulinic acid, as described in Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0268809, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0078] In another aspect, the aerosol precursor composition may include a tobacco, tobacco component, or tobacco-derived material that can be treated, manufactured, produced, and / or processed to incorporate an aerosol-forming material (e.g., a humectant such as propylene glycol, glycerin, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the aerosol precursor composition may include at least one flavor. Additional components that may be included in the aerosol precursor composition are described in Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320, which is incorporated herein by reference. Various modes and methods for incorporating tobacco and other raw materials into an aerosol-generating device are described in Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874, Banerjee et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549, Cantrell et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932, Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371, and Crooks et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215167, Sears et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0073695, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0079] The aerosol precursor composition may also incorporate a so-called "aerosol forming material". Such materials may, in some cases, have the ability to produce visible (or invisible) aerosols when exposed to heat and vaporized under the conditions experienced during normal use of the aerosol generating device which is a feature of the present disclosure. Such aerosol forming materials include various polyols or polyhydric alcohols (for example, glycerin, propylene glycol and mixtures thereof). Aspects of the present disclosure also incorporate aerosol precursor components that can be characterized as water, saline, moisture or aqueous liquids. Under normal use conditions of a particular aerosol generating device, water incorporated within the aerosol generating device can evaporate to provide components of the generated aerosol. Thus, for the purposes of the present disclosure, water present within the aerosol precursor composition may be considered an aerosol forming material.

[0080] It is possible to use a wide variety of optional flavorings or materials that change the sensory characteristics or properties of the inhaled mainstream aerosol produced by the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure. For example, any such flavoring may be used within the aerosol precursor composition or substance to change the flavor, aroma and sensory stimulating properties of the aerosol. Particular flavorings may be provided from sources other than tobacco. Exemplary flavorings may be of natural or artificial nature and may be used as concentrates or flavor packages.

[0081] Exemplary flavors include vanilla, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruits (such as the citrus aromas including apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, frankincense, jasmine, cassia, cocoa, licorice, and flavors and flavor packages of the types and characteristics conventionally used in the flavors of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco. Also, syrups such as high fructose corn syrup can be used. Prior to the formulation of the final aerosol precursor mixture, certain flavors may be incorporated into the aerosol-forming material (e.g., certain water-soluble flavors can be incorporated into water, menthol can be incorporated into propylene glycol, and certain complex flavor packages can be incorporated into propylene glycol). However, in some aspects of the present disclosure, the aerosol precursor composition does not contain any flavors, flavor characteristics, or additives.

[0082] The aerosol precursor composition may also contain ingredients that exhibit acidic or basic properties (e.g., organic acids, ammonium salts, or organic amines). For example, in an aerosol precursor formulation incorporating nicotine, certain organic acids (e.g., levulinic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, and pyruvic acid) may be included, preferably in an amount up to equimolar with nicotine (based on the total organic acid content). For example, the aerosol precursor may contain about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of succinic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per mole of nicotine, or various permutations and combinations thereof, up to a concentration where the total amount of the organic acids present is equimolar with the total amount of nicotine present in the aerosol precursor composition. However, in some aspects of the present disclosure, the aerosol precursor composition does not contain any acidic (or basic) properties or additives.

[0083] As a non-limiting example, representative aerosol precursor compositions or substances can include glycerin, propylene glycol, water, saline, and nicotine, as well as any combination or mixture of any or all of these components. For example, in one instance, a representative aerosol precursor composition can include, on a weight basis, from about 70% to about 100% glycerin, often from about 80% to about 90% glycerin, from about 5% to about 25% water, often from about 10% to about 20% water, and from about 0.1% to about 5% nicotine, often from about 2% to about 3% nicotine. In one particular non-limiting example, a representative aerosol precursor composition can include about 84% glycerin, about 14% water, and about 2% nicotine. Representative aerosol precursor compositions can also include various amounts of propylene glycol, any flavoring or other additives, on a weight basis. In some cases, the aerosol precursor composition can include, optionally or as desired, up to about 100 weight % of any of glycerin, water, and saline.

[0084] A vapor precursor composition or aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as an "e-liquid", may include various components such as, for example, polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts and / or flavorants. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 to Lipowicz et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, as well as International Publication No. 2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that can be used include aerosol precursors incorporated in VUSE(R) products by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, BLU(TM) products by Fontem Ventures B.V., MISTIC MENTHOL products by Mistic Ecigs, MARK TEN products by Nu Mark LLC, JUUL products by Juul Labs, Inc., and VYPE products by CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable is the so-called "smoke juice" for electronic cigarettes available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC.Yet another example of an aerosol precursor composition is sold under the trade names of 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.

[0085] The amount of aerosol precursor incorporated within the aerosol delivery system is an amount such that the aerosol generating components provide an acceptable feel and desirable performance characteristics. For example, to produce a visible mainstream aerosol that resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke in many respects, it is desirable that a sufficient amount of aerosol forming materials (e.g., glycerin and / or propylene glycol) be used. The amount of aerosol precursor within the aerosol generating system may be determined according to factors such as the desired number of puffs per aerosol generating component. In one or more embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition of 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 may be included.

[0086] Other features, controllers, or components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris, U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins, U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts, U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer, U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando, U.S. Patent No. 8,689,804 to Fernando, U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 to DePiano, U.S. Patent No. 9,427,022 to Levin, U.S. Patent No. 9,510,623 to Tucker, U.S. Patent No. 9,609,893 to Novak, and U.S. Patent No. 10,004,259 to Sebastian, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0087] The above description of the use of the article can be applied to the various embodiments described herein through minor modifications that may be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. However, the above description of the use is not intended to limit the use of the article and is provided to comply with all necessary disclosure requirements of the present disclosure. Any of the elements shown in FIG. 1 or otherwise shown in the articles described above may be included in the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0088] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure can relate to the use of a monolithic material within one or more components of an aerosol delivery device. As used herein, "monolithic material" or "monolith" is intended to mean, in some embodiments, a substantially single unit that can be formed, constructed, or made as a single piece that has no joints or seams and is not necessarily rigid but is formed, constructed, or made to be substantially uniform throughout. In some embodiments, a monolith according to the present disclosure may be homogeneous, i.e., formed from a single material, or may be formed from a plurality of units permanently combined, such as a sintered aggregate. Thus, in some embodiments, a porous monolith may include an integral porous monolith.

[0089] In some embodiments, the use of a monolith can be particularly relevant to the use of a porous glass monolith within components of an aerosol delivery device. As used herein, "porous glass" is intended to refer to a glass having a three-dimensional interconnected porous microstructure. This term can specifically exclude materials made from bundles of glass fibers (i.e., woven or non-woven fabrics). Thus, fibrous glass can be excluded from porous glass. Porous glass can also be referred to as controlled pore glass (CPG) and may be known by the trade name VYCOR(R). Porous glass suitable for use according to the present disclosure can be prepared, for example, by liquid extraction (e.g., acidic extraction or a combination of acidic and alkaline extraction) of one of the phases formed following metastable phase separation in borosilicate glass, by sol-gel methods, or by sintering of glass powders, using known methods. Porous glass can in particular be a high-silica glass containing 90 wt% or more, 95 wt%, 96 wt% or more, or 98 wt% or more silica. Porous glass materials and methods for preparing porous glass that can be suitable for use according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 2,106,744 to Hood et al., U.S. Patent No. 2,215,039 to Hood et al., U.S. Patent No. 3,485,687 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,657,875 to Nakashima et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,003,833 to Kotani et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,321,675 to Himanshu, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0045853 to Kotani et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0067957 to Zhang et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0068725 to Takashima et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The scope of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited in that the term "glass" may be used herein and "glass" can encompass various silica-based materials.

[0090] The porous glass can be defined in terms of its average pore diameter in some embodiments. For example, the porous glass can have an average pore diameter of about 1 nm to about 1000 μm, about 2 nm to about 500 μm, about 5 nm to about 200 μm, or about 10 nm to about 100 μm. In certain embodiments, the porous glass for use in accordance with the present disclosure can be distinguished based on the average pore diameter. For example, the porous glass with a small pore diameter can have an average pore diameter from 1 nm to 500 nm, the porous glass with an intermediate pore diameter can have an average pore diameter from 500 nm to 10 μm, and the porous glass with a large pore diameter can have an average pore diameter from 10 μm to 1000 μm. In some embodiments, the porous glass with a large pore diameter can preferably be useful as a storage element, and the porous glass with a small pore diameter and / or the porous glass with an intermediate pore diameter can preferably be useful as a transport element.

[0091] The porous glass can also be defined in terms of its surface area in some embodiments. For example, the porous glass can have a surface area of at least 100 m 2 / g, at least 150 m 2 / g, at least 200 m 2 / g or at least 250 m 2 / g, for example, about 100 m 2 / g to about 600 m 2 / g, about 150 m 2 / g to about 500 m 2 / g or about 200 m 2 / g to about 450 m 2 / g.

[0092] In some embodiments, the porous glass can be defined in terms of its porosity (i.e., the volume fraction of the material defining the pores). For example, the porous glass can have a porosity of at least 20% by volume, at least 25% by volume or at least 30% by volume, such as from about 20% by volume to about 80% by volume, from about 25% by volume to about 70% by volume or from about 30% by volume to about 60% by volume. In certain embodiments, a relatively low porosity, such as from about 5% by volume to about 50% by volume, from about 10% by volume to about 40% by volume or from about 15% by volume to about 30% by volume, may be desirable.

[0093] In some embodiments, the porous glass can be further defined in terms of its density. For example, the porous glass can have a density of 0.25 g / cm 3 to about 3 g / cm 3 , from about 0.5 g / cm 3 to about 2.5 g / cm 3 or from about 0.75 g / cm 3 to about 2 g / cm 3 .

[0094] In some embodiments, the use of a monolith can be particularly related to the use of a porous ceramic monolith within components of an aerosol delivery device. As used herein, "porous ceramic" is intended to refer to a ceramic material having a three-dimensional interconnected porous microstructure. Porous ceramic materials suitable for use according to the present disclosure, and methods of making porous ceramics, are described in U.S. Patent No. 3,090,094 to Schwartzwalder et al., U.S. Patent No. 3,833,386 to Frisch et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,814,300 to Helferich, U.S. Patent No. 5,171,720 to Kawakami, U.S. Patent No. 5,185,110 to Kunikazu et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,227,342 to Anderson et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,645,891 to Liu et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,750,449 to Niihara et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,753,282 to Fleischmann et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,208,108 to Otsuka et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,537,716 to Matsunaga et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,609,235 to Hotta et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Although the term "porous ceramic" may be used herein, the scope of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited in that "ceramic" can include a variety of alumina-based materials.

[0095] Similarly, in some embodiments, the porous ceramic can be defined in terms of its average pore size. For example, the porous ceramic can have an average pore size of from about 1 nm to about 1000 μm, from about 2 nm to about 500 μm, from about 5 nm to about 200 μm, or from about 10 nm to about 100 μm. In certain embodiments, the porous ceramic for use in accordance with the present disclosure can be distinguished based on the average pore size. For example, the porous ceramic with a small pore size can have an average pore size from 1 nm to 500 nm, the porous ceramic with an intermediate pore size can have an average pore size from 500 nm to 10 μm, and the porous ceramic with a large pore size can have an average pore size from 10 μm to 1000 μm. In some embodiments, the porous ceramic with a large pore size can preferably be useful as a storage element, and the porous ceramic with a small pore size and / or the porous ceramic with an intermediate pore size can preferably be useful as a transport element.

[0096] The porous ceramic can also, in some embodiments, be defined in terms of its surface area. For example, the porous ceramic can have a surface area of at least 100 m 2 / g, at least 150 m 2 / g, at least 200 m 2 / g, or at least 250 m 2 / g, for example, from about 100 m 2 / g to about 600 m 2 / g, from about 150 m 2 / g to about 500 m 2 / g, or from about 200 m 2 / g to about 450 m 2 / g.

[0097] The porous ceramic can, in some embodiments, be defined in terms of its porosity (i.e., the volume fraction of the material defining the pores). For example, the porous ceramic can have a porosity of at least 20% by volume, at least 25% by volume, or at least 30% by volume, or at least 40% by volume, such as, for example, from about 20% to about 80% by volume, from about 25% to about 70% by volume, from about 30% to about 60% by volume, or from about 40% to about 50% by volume. In certain embodiments, a relatively low porosity, such as from about 5% to about 50% by volume, from about 10% to about 40% by volume or from about 15% to about 30% by volume, may be desirable.

[0098] The porous ceramic can, in some embodiments, be further defined in terms of its density. For example, the porous ceramic can have a density of 0.1 g / cm 3 to about 3 g / cm 3 , from about 0.5 g / cm 3 to about 2.5 g / cm 3 or from about 0.75 g / cm 3 to about 2 g / cm 3 .

[0099] Silica-based materials (e.g., porous glass) and alumina-based materials (e.g., porous ceramic) may be described separately herein, but it is understood that in some embodiments, the porous monolith can contain various aluminosilicate materials. For example, according to the present disclosure, various zeolites may be utilized. Thus, for example, the porous monolith described herein may include one or both of porous glass and porous ceramic that can be provided as a composite material. In one embodiment, such a composite material may include SiO2 and Al2O3. Other suitable materials for forming at least a portion of the composite material include ZnO, ZrO2, CuO, MgO and / or other metal oxides.

[0100] In one or more embodiments, the porous monoliths according to the present disclosure can be characterized in terms of wicking rate. By way of non-limiting example, the wicking rate can be calculated by measuring the mass uptake of a known liquid, and the rate (mg / s) can be measured using a microbalance tensiometer or similar device. Preferably, the wicking rate is substantially within the range of the desired mass of aerosol produced over the duration of smoking using an aerosol-forming article comprising the porous monolith. The wicking rate can be, for example, in the range of about 0.01 mg / s to about 20 mg / s, about 0.1 mg / s to about 12 mg / s or about 0.5 mg / s to about 10 mg / s. The wicking rate can be different depending on the liquid being drawn up. In some embodiments, the wicking rates described herein can be based on substantially pure water, substantially pure glycerin, substantially pure propylene glycol, a mixture of water and glycerin, a mixture of water and propylene glycol, a mixture of glycerin and propylene glycol, or a mixture of water, glycerin and propylene glycol. Also, the wicking rate can be different depending on the use of the porous monolith. For example, a porous monolith used as a liquid transport element may have a higher wicking rate than a porous monolith used as a reservoir. The wicking rate may vary by controlling one or more of pore size, pore size distribution and wettability, as well as by the composition of the material being drawn up.

[0101] As noted above, some existing embodiments of aerosol delivery devices include a liquid transport element and / or a reservoir comprising a fibrous material. However, fibrous materials can suffer from certain disadvantages. In this regard, considering that a heating element is disposed in proximity to the liquid transport element, there is a possibility of charring occurring in the fibrous liquid transport element, which can thereby adversely affect the flavor of the generated aerosol and / or the structural integrity of the liquid transport element. Depending on the relative position of the components, charring can also occur in the fibrous reservoir.

[0102] Furthermore, fibrous materials are generally relatively weak and may be prone to tearing or other failures when subjected to stresses that can occur during repeated drop events or other severe accidents. Additionally, using fibrous materials within the air flow path can pose challenges during assembly in terms of ensuring that loose fibers are not present. Due to the flexible nature of fibrous materials, it can also be difficult to form and hold the liquid transport element and reservoir in the desired shape.

[0103] Therefore, using a rigid monolith as the fluid transport element is beneficial in improving the uniformity of heating and reducing the likelihood of carbonization of the fluid transport element in the event of non-uniform heating. Additionally, a material with relatively high durability compared to fibrous materials, such as porous glass or porous ceramic that is unlikely to tear, may be selected. Furthermore, such materials are less prone to charring. Additionally, the absence of fibers within the porous monolith eliminates issues related to the movement of fibers within the air flow path defined therethrough.

[0104] Despite such advantages, the monolith also presents certain challenges in successfully implementing it as a fluid transport element. Such challenges are partly due to the different material properties of the monolith (e.g., porous ceramic) compared to fibrous wicks. For example, alumina has both a higher thermal conductivity and a higher heat capacity than silica. These thermal properties can require a relatively high initial energy output to achieve equivalent fluid vaporization as heat is taken from the aerosol precursor composition at the interface between the wick and the heater. The present disclosure realizes means for overcoming such difficulties.

[0105] In some embodiments using a porous monolith, the energy required for vaporization when using the porous monolith can be minimized, and the heat flux density (watts per square meter (W / m 2)The vaporization response time can be improved by increasing the measurement in units). The present disclosure describes embodiments particularly suitable for providing such an increase in heat flux density.

[0106] In some embodiments, the liquid transport element (i.e., wick or wicking element) can be partially or fully formed from a ceramic material, particularly a porous ceramic. Exemplary ceramic materials suitable for use in embodiments of the present disclosure are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0123989 to LaMothe and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0188626 to Davis et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The porous ceramic can form a substantially solid wick (i.e., a single monolithic material rather than a bundle of individual fibers known in the art).

[0107] In some embodiments, the heating element can be configured to increase vaporization, such as resulting from an increase in the allowable heating temperature permitted by the use of a ceramic wick or from an increase in the heating surface (e.g., an increase in the number of coils of a resistive heating wire wound around the ceramic wick). The heating element can be combined with the liquid transport element to form an atomizer.

[0108] FIG. 2 shows a vapor formation unit 204 (e.g., a cartridge) according to another general embodiment, the vapor formation unit 204 can include a housing 203 at least partially formed by an outer wall 205. The vapor formation unit 204 can further include a connector 240 that can be disposed at a connector end 243 of the housing 203. A mouthpiece 227 can be disposed at an intake end 230 of the housing 203.

[0109] The internal structure of the vapor formation unit 204 is apparent from FIG. 3. In particular, the flow tube 245 is disposed inside the outer wall 205 of the housing 203. The flow tube 245 can be formed from any suitable material such as metal, polymer, ceramic composition, etc. The flow tube 245 is preferably formed from a material that does not deteriorate at the temperature achieved in proximity to the heater and is thus thermally stable. The arrangement of the flow tube 245 and the outer wall 205 of the housing 203 can define an annular space 247 therebetween. The annular space 247 can effectively function as a reservoir for the aerosol precursor composition. The annular space 247 can be made substantially free of other materials in addition to the aerosol precursor composition. However, in some embodiments, a fibrous material may be included in the annular space 247 if it is desired to sorptively retain at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition. The air flow path 257 can exist through the vapor formation unit 204 and, in particular, can exist between the connector end 243 of the housing 203 and the suction port end 230 of the housing 203. The air flow path 257 at least partially penetrates the flow tube 245. However, the air flow path 257 can also penetrate additional elements of the device, such as through the internal channel 228 of the mouthpiece 227 and / or the connector 240. Suitable connectors and air flow paths therethrough for use in accordance with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,839,238 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0110] The vapor formation unit 204 of FIG. 3 can further include a heater 234 and a wick 236 that can be collectively characterized as a nebulizer or nebulizer unit. The heater 234 and the wick 236 interact with the flow tube 245 such that the aerosol precursor composition within the annular space 247 is transported to the heater via the wick where the aerosol precursor composition is vaporized within the flow tube or within a space in fluid communication with the flow tube (e.g., directly adjacent to the end of the flow tube). Accordingly, at least a portion of the wick 236 is within the air flow path 257 and at least a portion of the wick is in fluid communication with the annular space 247. The interaction between the wick 236 and the flow tube 245 can be characterized as a sealing engagement in that the wick can penetrate an opening 246 formed in the flow tube in such a way that the aerosol precursor composition from the annular space 247 is substantially prevented from passing through the opening other than through the penetration of the wick itself.

[0111] In some embodiments, the sealing engagement may be facilitated by using a sealing member 248 that can be disposed between the wick 236 and the flow tube 247. The sealing member 248 can engage the wick 236 and the flow tube 245 in various ways, and only a single sealing member or a plurality of sealing members can be utilized. The arrangement of the wick 236, the flow tube 245, the sealing member 248, and the connector 240 is shown in FIG. 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the wick 236 is essentially disposed between the flow tube 245 and the connector 240. The opening 246 of the flow tube 245 is in the form of a notch at the end of the flow tube wall. A corresponding notch may be formed in the connector 240. The wick 236 passes through the notch on one or both sides of the flow tube 245, and the sealing member 246 fills any space between the outer surface of the wick and the inner surface of the notch of the flow tube (and optionally the connector). As shown, the sealing member 246 also functions as a seal between the end of the flow tube 245 and the connector 240 to effectively seal the connection of the two elements. In other words, the flow tube 245 can extend entirely between the mouthpiece 227 and the connector 240. The sealing member 248 may be formed from any suitable sealant such as silicone, rubber, or other elastic materials.

[0112] The flow tube 245 can include a vent that can be formed by one or more vents or vent openings 251. The vent 251 can be configured to equalize the pressure within the annular space 247 when the liquid depletes from the annular space. In some embodiments, the vent 251 can include a vent cover 252. The vent cover 252 can be formed from a microporous material. Preferably, the vent cover 252 is effective to allow gas (e.g., air) to pass through it while substantially preventing liquid from passing through it. The vents can be disposed at various positions along the flow tube 245 and can be provided particularly in the vicinity of the interconnect between the flow tube and the mouthpiece 227. Thus, the flow tube 245 can engage or be adjacent to the mouthpiece 227 at a first end of the flow tube and can engage or be adjacent to the connector 240 at a second end of the flow tube.

[0113] In one or more embodiments, the heater 234 can be in the form of a heating element that can be wound in a coil around the outer surface of the wick 236 or otherwise arranged. The heating element can be a wire or a conductive mesh. The heating element can be configured to generate heat by electrical resistance when in direct electrical communication with a power source. Alternatively, the heating element may generate heat through an induction heating process as eddy currents are generated within the heating element as a result of an alternating magnetic current in the vicinity of the heating element. In either case, the vapor is formed around the outside of the wick 236 and is blown away by air passing through the wick and the heater 234 and into the air flow path 257. The wick 236 can specifically have a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing 203. In some embodiments, the wick 236 can extend laterally across the flow tube 245 between a first wick end 236a and a second wick end 236b. Further, the sealing member 248 can engage the wick 236 in a sealing manner proximate the first wick end 236a and the second wick end 236b. The first and second wick ends (236a, 236b) can extend beyond the sealing member 248 or can be located substantially in the same plane as the sealing member as long as the aerosol precursor composition within the annular space 247 can achieve a fluid connection with the wick ends.

[0114] In the illustrated example, electrical terminals (234a, 234b) can be electrically connected to the heater 234 and can pass through the connector 240 to facilitate electrical connection to a power source. A printed circuit board (PCB) 250, etc., can be included in the vapor formation unit 204, and in particular, can be disposed within the connector 240 to effectively isolate electronic components from the liquid within the annular space 247 and the vapor (and any condensate that may be present) within the flow tube 245. The PCB 250 can provide control functions to the vapor formation unit and / or can transmit and receive information from a controller (see element 106 of FIG. 1) that can be provided within another body to which the vapor formation unit can be connected.

[0115] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a liquid transport element 336 (e.g., a wicking element or wick) suitable for use in either the cartridge 104 of FIG. 1 or the vapor formation unit 204 of FIG. 2. However, it is understood that the liquid transport elements described herein are suitable for use in any number of aerosol forming devices, and in particular, may be utilized in any device that desires to transport a liquid, particularly a viscous liquid, such as the aerosol precursor compositions described herein, to a heater for vaporization. The liquid transport element 336 may comprise a rigid monolith 360, such as a porous monolith formed from porous glass or porous ceramic as described above. At least a portion of the rigid monolith 360 may be substantially configured as a cylinder having a longitudinal axis L. The rigid monolith 360 includes an outer surface 362.

[0116] In one embodiment, the rigid monolith 360 may include one or more lumens 364 that extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The one or more lumens 364 may render the rigid monolith 360 substantially hollow. A hollow configuration can be particularly beneficial when the monolith 360 is made of a material with little or no porosity to assist wicking. In one embodiment, the wall thickness of the monolith 360 between the outer surface 362 and the inner surface defined by the lumen 364 may range from about 0.1 mm to about 4 mm or from about 1 mm to about 2 mm. Other exemplary dimensions of the rigid monolith 360 that can be suitable include an outer diameter of from about 1 mm to about 8 mm or from about 2 mm to about 4 mm defined by the outer surface 362. The inner diameter defined by the lumen 364 may range from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm or from about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm. The rigid monolith 360 is not limited to a cylindrical body. In one example, the length of the rigid monolith 360 surrounded by the heaters 134, 234 may be from about 2 mm to about 20 mm or from about 3 mm to about 8 mm.

[0117] In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the heaters 134, 234 are at least partially wound around and preferably configured to contact the outer surface 362 of the rigid monolith 360. In one embodiment, the heaters 134, 234 may be integrally formed with the outer surface 362 or other portions of the monolith 360. Returning to FIG. 4, the outer surface 362 is formed or otherwise processed to include at least one surface discontinuity 366. The surface discontinuity 366 may be formed by etching the outer surface 362 of the liquid transport element 336. The surface discontinuity 366 can be provided after the rigid monolith 360 is formed via other processes known in the art, including perforation or other machining processes. Alternatively, the surface discontinuity 366 can be created during the formation of the rigid monolith 360 via a manufacturing process such as casting, injection molding, stamping, pressing, extrusion or additive manufacturing, or other processes that are particularly useful for creating complex shapes using rigid materials such as glass and ceramics. The rigid monolith may be subjected to a sintering process prior to use.

[0118] The surface discontinuity 366 may be provided on the outer surface 362 of the liquid transport element 336 to promote an increase in vaporization. The improvement in vaporization can result from various factors, including designing the liquid transport element 336 to more efficiently utilize the heat generated by the heater. The liquid transport element 336 can also improve vaporization by enhancing the wicking efficiency of the liquid transport element. The surface discontinuity 362 described below is an intentional surface feature created according to a predetermined pattern having a predetermined spacing and depth described below to properly engage with the heater.

[0119] In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the surface discontinuity 366 of the liquid transport element 336 is provided in the form of a helical groove 370 formed in a helical pattern around the longitudinal axis L of the cylindrical portion of at least the rigid monolith 360. The helical groove 370 can be provided to create a channel for accommodating the wires of the heaters 134, 234. The groove 370 may have a substantially circular shape, and other shapes such as triangular, square, rectangular, elliptical, or oval may also be used. When the floor of the groove forms part of a circle, the diameter D of the groove 370, or the radius of curvature of the segment, may be selected based on the diameter of the wire used for the heater. As a result, the wire may be intended to fit snugly within the groove 370. The groove 370 can effectively partially embed the wire into the rigid monolith 360, increasing the contact surface area between the wire and the liquid transport element 336, thereby increasing the amount of heat from the heater useful for vaporizing the aerosol precursor composition within the liquid transport element.

[0120] The groove 370 also serves to control the placement of the wires of the heaters 134, 234 when the wires of the heaters 134, 234 are wound on the liquid transport element 336, resulting in accurate and reproducible results during the manufacturing and / or assembly process.

[0121] In FIG. 4, the spiral groove 370 is shown as having a constant pitch P. The pitch P corresponds to the width along the longitudinal axis L of one complete rotation (e.g., winding) of the groove 370 around the circumference of the rigid monolith 360. Another embodiment of FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a liquid transport element 436 having a spiral groove 470 with a variable pitch. By varying the pitch of the spiral groove 470, the concentration or amount of wire in contact with or adjacent to various regions or portions of the liquid transport element 436 changes, and thus, a technique is provided for controlling the concentration of heat on portions of the liquid transport element 436 in various regions along the longitudinal axis L.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid transport element 436 may include a first end 472a and a second end 472b (collectively referred to as "ends 472"). Further, the liquid transport element 436 may include a first contact portion 474a and a second contact portion 474b (collectively referred to as "contact portions 474") and a heating portion 478. The contact portions 474 may be disposed between the ends 472, and the heating portion 478 may be disposed between the contact portions.

[0123] The groove 470 may define a pitch that varies along the longitudinal length of the rigid monolith 460. The groove 470 within the contact portion 474 may define a first pitch P1, the groove within the heating portion 478 may define a second pitch P2, and the groove within the end 472 may define a third pitch P3.

[0124] Although not essential, in some embodiments, the third pitch P3 of the first end 472a may be substantially equal to the pitch of the second end 472b. Similarly, although not essential, the first pitch P1 of the first contact portion 474a may be substantially equal to the pitch of the second contact portion 474b. Further, it should be noted that the transitions between the ends 472 and the contact portions 474, and between the contact portions and the heating portion 478, may vary the pitch of the groove 470 over the length of the individual portions. In this regard, as used herein, the pitch of the groove 470 of a particular portion of the liquid transport element 436 generally refers to the average pitch of the groove over the length of the portion being referenced.

[0125] In some embodiments, the first pitch P1 may be smaller than the third pitch P3, and the second pitch P2 may be smaller than the third pitch and larger than the first pitch. As will be described below, this configuration of the pitches P1, P2, and P3 of the contact portion 474, the heating portion 478, and the end portion 472 can provide certain advantages resulting from the heater wire disposed in the groove 470 with respect to the functionality and cost of the atomizer.

[0126] In one embodiment, the first pitch P1 of the contact portion 474 may be substantially equal to the diameter of the groove 470. This pitch corresponds to a configuration in which the windings of the groove are substantially directly adjacent to each other. As will be described below, this configuration can have certain advantages. However, in other embodiments, various other embodiments of the groove pitch may be used.

[0127] In one embodiment, the ratio of the second pitch P2 to the first pitch P1 may be about 2 to 8 to 1, and in one embodiment, about 4 to 1. The ratio of the third pitch P3 to the first pitch P1 may be about 8 to 32 to 1, and in one embodiment, about 16 to 1. The ratio of the third pitch P3 to the second pitch P2 may be about 1 to 16 to 1, and in one embodiment, about 4 to 1.

[0128] By connecting the wires of the heaters 134, 234 to the liquid transport element 436 such that the wires extend continuously along the longitudinal length of the liquid transport element and are present within the groove 470, the resulting atomizer may be manufactured continuously up to the length range of the materials defining the wires and the liquid transport element.

[0129] In one embodiment, the contact portion 474 may include about three to about five windings of the groove 470. Further, providing a relatively small first pitch P1 to the contact portion 474 can make it even easier to establish an electrical connection between the contact portion and the heater terminal.

[0130] The third pitch P3 of the end portion 472 may be relatively large so as to function as a preheater without the main purpose of providing sufficient thermal energy to the aerosol precursor within the end portion 472 of the liquid transport element 436 to cause vaporization. On the other hand, extending the groove 470 outwardly from the connection portion 474 allows for the provision of a continuous groove 470 along the entire length of the liquid transport element 436, enabling the simultaneous manufacture of a plurality of liquid transport elements. After the rigid monolith 460 is completed, the plurality of liquid transport elements can be divided into suitable sections, thereby improving the efficiency with which the liquid transport element 436 can be manufactured.

[0131] The heating section 478 of the liquid transport element 436 is the region mainly responsible for vaporizing the aerosol precursor. Therefore, it is important to generate a desired amount of heat within the heating section 478. The amount of heat available to the heating section 478 can be controlled by adjusting the second pitch P2. In this regard, the second pitch P2 of the grooves 470 within the heating section 478 may be relatively smaller than the third pitch P3 within the end section 472, but may be larger than the first pitch P1 of the grooves within the contact section 474. By ensuring that the turns of the groove 470 do not spread too far within the heating section 478, the liquid transport element 436 may be heated to an amount sufficient to generate aerosol vapor. Further, by providing a gap between the windings within the heating section 478, it is possible for the vaporized aerosol to leak from the liquid transport element 436. The number of windings within the heating section 478 may be, in some embodiments, from about 4 to about 9.

[0132] Figures 6 and 7 show similar liquid transport elements 536, 636 according to additional embodiments of the present disclosure. The liquid transport elements 536, 636 can enhance the vaporization efficiency by controlling the flow rate of the aerosol precursor. Each liquid transport element 536, 636 may comprise a rigid monolith 560, 660 such as a porous monolith formed from porous glass or porous ceramic as described above. At least a portion of the rigid monoliths 560, 660 may be substantially configured as a cylinder having a longitudinal axis L. The rigid monoliths 560, 660 can include outer surfaces 562, 662. The rigid monoliths 560, 660 may include one or more internal cavities 564, 664 that extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The one or more internal cavities 564, 664 may render the rigid monoliths 560, 660 substantially hollow.

[0133] In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the heaters 134, 234 are configured to be at least partially wound around the outer surfaces 562, 662 of the rigid monoliths 560, 660. Returning to FIGS. 6 and 7, the outer surfaces 562, 662 are formed or otherwise processed to include at least one surface discontinuity 566, 666.

[0134] In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7, the surface discontinuities 566, 666 comprise at least one aperture 582, 682 leading to at least one hole 584, 684. The holes 584, 684 extend radially with respect to the longitudinal axis L. The holes 584, 684 may extend across the entire diameter of the monoliths 560, 660. Alternatively, the holes 584, 684 may extend from the outer surfaces 562, 662, if present, to communicate with one or more internal cavities extending along the longitudinal axis L. Further, the holes 584, 684 may be blind holes that extend only partially into the monoliths 560, 660 from the outer surfaces 562, 662 so as to provide a closed radially inner end. In other embodiments, particularly when additive manufacturing is used, the holes 584, 684 may extend radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis so as to lead from the internal cavities 564, 664 toward the outer surfaces 562, 662 but not reach the outer surfaces 562, 662. The axes of the holes 584, 684 are not limited to the radial direction and may form an angle of about 30 degrees to about 90 degrees with the longitudinal axis.

[0135] The hole portions 584 and 684 may each have the same diameter, or the diameter of the hole portions may be varied. The diameter of the hole portions may be in the range of about 50 microns to about 2000 microns or about 150 microns to about 350 microns. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the hole portions 584 and 684 are affected by the diameter of the wire used for the heating element. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of hole portions 584 and 684 are arranged around the longitudinal axis along the longitudinal axis L. In one embodiment, the rows of the arrangement extend along the longitudinal axis L, and the hole portions 584 and 684 within one row are arranged alternately with respect to the hole portions in adjacent rows. In other embodiments, the hole portions within each row are aligned. In one embodiment, the dimensions and amounts of the hole portions 584 and 684 may be selected to create a ratio of about 1% to about 25% of the hole opening area to the outer surface area. This range is selected for the liquid release rate from the inner surface to the outer surface of the rigid monolith. The purpose is to balance aerosol generation as a function of the thermal energy available from the heating element while seeking to reduce carbonization of the aerosol precursor or incomplete aerosolization. In some embodiments, the amount, dimensions or arrangement of the hole portions 584 and 684 may be selected in conjunction with the pitch or number of windings of the wire of the heating element.

[0136] FIG. 8 shows a liquid transport element 736 according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. The liquid transport element 736 may include a rigid monolith 760 such as a porous monolith formed from porous glass or porous ceramic as described above. The liquid transport element 736 has a longitudinal axis L (e.g., a major axis), but is substantially flat rather than cylindrical, and thus is different from the foregoing embodiments. The rigid monolith 760 can include an outer surface 762, e.g., a substantially planar major surface of a plate-like body. The rigid monolith 760 may include one or more internal cavities (not shown) that extend substantially parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. The internal cavities may be substantially parallel to the major surface.

[0137] The outer surface 762 of the rigid monolith 760 is formed or otherwise processed to include at least one surface discontinuity 766. The surface discontinuity 766 can be provided to engage with heaters 134, 234 (FIGS. 1 and 3), such as heating wires, that can be disposed within the surface discontinuity to enhance the heating efficiency of the liquid transport element 736.

[0138] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 8, the surface discontinuity 766 comprises at least one continuous groove 784 that cuts a path along the outer surface 762. Each groove 782 can be continuous so that a heater, such as a heating wire associated with the groove, can still be operably and electrically connected at both ends to a power source. The pattern formed along the outer surface 762 by the at least one continuous groove 784 can all be designed for the purpose of controlling the amount and distribution of heat transferred from the heater to the liquid transport element 736. For example, the pattern defined by the at least one continuous groove 784 can be a serpentine pattern. The density of the segments of the continuous groove 784, the surface coverage of the continuous groove on the outer surface 762, and the spacing between adjacent segments can all be controlled. The continuous groove 784 can be designed based on the above description regarding the spiral groove 470 (FIG. 5), and the pattern can vary in various portions of the outer surface 762 of the monolith 760.

[0139] Having the benefit of the teachings set forth in the foregoing description and the associated drawings, many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will come to mind to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. A liquid transport element for an aerosol delivery device, comprising: a rigid monolith having an outer surface and a longitudinal axis; the exterior surface comprises at least one discontinuity; the at least one discontinuity includes at least one opening to the at least one pore; A liquid transport element for an aerosol delivery device, wherein the ratio of the area of ​​the at least one opening to the area of ​​the exterior surface of the rigid monolith ranges from about 1% to about 25%.

2. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical.

3. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein the rigid monolith is porous.

4. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein at least one hole has a hole axis that forms an angle with the longitudinal axis.

5. A liquid transport element as described in claim 4, wherein the angle formed is from about 30 degrees to about 90 degrees.

6. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein at least one hole portion extends radially relative to the longitudinal axis.

7. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein at least one discontinuity includes a plurality of openings to a plurality of holes, the plurality of holes being arranged along and around the longitudinal axis.

8. A liquid transport element as described in claim 7, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in a row extending along a longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the rigid monolith.

9. A liquid transport element as described in claim 8, wherein the rows of holes are staggered such that the holes in one row are staggered relative to the holes in an adjacent row.

10. A liquid transport element as described in claim 8, wherein the rows of holes are aligned such that the holes in one row are aligned with the holes in an adjacent row.

11. A liquid transport element as described in claim 2, wherein the cylindrical portion is hollow.

12. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein the outer surface is substantially flat.

13. A liquid transport element as described in claim 7, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter in the range of about 50 μm to about 2000 μm.

14. A liquid transport element as described in claim 7, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter in the range of about 150 μm to about 350 μm.

15. A liquid transport element as described in claim 7, wherein the rigid monolith is substantially cylindrical and each of the plurality of holes extends completely across a diameter of the rigid monolith.

16. A liquid transport element as described in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of holes extends at least partially within the rigid monolith.

17. The liquid transport element of claim 3, wherein the rigid monolith has an average pore size in the range of about 1 nm to about 1000 μm.

18. A liquid transport element as described in claim 1, wherein the rigid monolith has a wall thickness between an outer surface and an inner surface defined by one or more internal cavities, the one or more internal cavities extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

19. A liquid transport element as described in claim 18, wherein the wall thickness is in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm.

20. A liquid transport element as described in claim 18, wherein at least one discontinuity has a plurality of openings to a plurality of holes, the plurality of holes being arranged along and around the longitudinal axis.

21. A liquid transport element as described in claim 20, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes extends at least partially into one or more internal cavities.

22. A sprayer comprising: A liquid transport element according to any one of claims 1 to 21, a heater comprising an electrically conductive heating element; A sprayer comprising:

23. The sprayer of claim 22, wherein the heating element is a wire.

24. The sprayer of claim 22, wherein the heater is configured to be at least partially wrapped around the rigid monolith.

25. An aerosol delivery device comprising: An outer housing; A reservoir for containing a liquid; a heater configured to vaporize a liquid; A liquid transport element according to any one of claims 1 to 21, configured to transport liquid to a heater; An aerosol delivery device comprising:

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