Electric aerosol delivery system

Abstract

To provide an electrically-powered aerosol delivery system that enables a user to suck aerosol full of flavor.SOLUTION: An aerosol delivery system is provided, comprising a control body portion including a first elongated tubular member having a power source disposed therein. A cartridge body portion 200 includes a second tubular member 216 having opposed first and second ends. One of the first and second ends is removably engaged with one end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further comprises a first aerosol generation arrangement 212 disposed within the second tubular member, and configured to operably engage the power source upon engagement between the control body portion and the cartridge body portion. A second aerosol generation arrangement 400 is disposed between the first aerosol generation arrangement and a mouth-engaging end of the aerosol delivery system. The second aerosol generation arrangement is either removably engaged with the cartridge body portion or housed within the second tubular member of the cartridge body portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and systems such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices and systems that utilize electrically generated heat for aerosol products (smoking articles are commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). The aerosol delivery devices and systems may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which may be tobacco-based or tobacco-derived, or may incorporate tobacco, but does not necessarily have to, and incorporates materials that can be evaporated to form an inhalable aerosol for a person.

Background Art

[0002] As an improvement or alternative to smoking products that require burning tobacco for use, many smoking devices have been proposed over the years. Many of these devices are said to have been made to provide the sensations associated with tobacco, cigars, or pipes without delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products due to the burning of tobacco. To achieve this goal, numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to evaporate or heat volatile substances, or that attempt to provide the sensations of tobacco, cigars, or pipes without burning the tobacco to a significant extent. See, for example, the background art of U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 2013 / 0255702 by Griffith, Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 by Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. Also, see, for example, various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electric heat sources referred to by the brand names and commercial sources of U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 170,838 filed on February 3, 2014 by Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] It is desirable to provide an electric aerosol delivery system that allows a user to inhale a highly flavorful aerosol. Also, it may be desirable for the aerosol to be provided in a comfortable state when inhaled into the user's mouth.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery system. Such a system can generate an aerosol as a result of heat generated by electricity and can deliver the aerosol to be inhaled into the user's mouth. Specifically important for an aerosol delivery system is to provide an aerosol form of tobacco components such as those known or characteristic of electronic cigarettes that are given to smokers. As used herein, the term "aerosol" refers to including vapor, gas, aerosol and / or particulate form or particulate body form that is suitable for a person to inhale, whether visible or invisible, and whether considered "smoky" or not.

[0006] The foregoing and other requirements, in one aspect, are consistent with aspects of the present disclosure that provide an aerosol delivery system. Such an aerosol delivery system may include a control body portion including a first elongated tubular member having opposing ends and having a power source disposed therein. The cartridge body portion includes a second tubular member having opposing first and second ends. One of the first and second ends of the cartridge body portion removably engages one of the opposing ends of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further includes a first aerosol generating device disposed within the second tubular member and is configured to operably engage a power source at an engagement portion between one of the opposing ends of the control body portion and one of the first and second ends of the cartridge body portion. The other of the first and second ends of the cartridge body portion is further configured as a mouth engagement end. The cartridge body portion further includes a second aerosol generating device within the second tubular member disposed between the first aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end. In some aspects, the second aerosol generating device may further include one or more aerosol generating elements, and the one or more (at least one) aerosol generating elements may be granules, pellets, beads, small discrete units, carbon pieces, extruded carbon pieces, ceramic beads, melaminated tobacco pieces, extruded or compressed cylindrical or spherical elements, shredded tobacco flakes, fillers, flavorings, visible aerosol forming materials, binders, ovoid elements, irregular shaped elements, shreds, flakes, tobacco-containing elements, visible aerosol forming material-containing elements, adsorbent substances, absorbent substances, capsules, microcapsules, honeycomb monoliths, single porous structures, and combinations thereof.

[0007] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of forming an aerosol delivery system is provided. Such a method includes one end of a first elongate tubular member that is removably engaged with a first end of a second tubular member, the first elongate tubular member being configured as a control body portion and having a power source disposed therein, and the second tubular member being configured as a cartridge body portion and having a first aerosol generating device disposed therein. The first aerosol generating device is configured to operably engage the power source at an engagement portion between one end of the control body portion and the first end of the cartridge body portion. The method also includes inserting a second aerosol generating device into a second tubular member of the cartridge body portion between the first aerosol generating device and a second end of the second tubular member, the second end being opposite the first end and configured as a mouth engagement end. Optionally, inserting the second aerosol generating device into the second tubular member may further comprise forming one or more aerosol generating elements in the second tubular member, at least partially forming the second aerosol generating device, and the one or more (at least one) aerosol generating elements are selected from the group consisting of granules, pellets, beads, small discontinuous units, carbon pieces, extruded carbon pieces, ceramic beads, melomelized tobacco pieces, extruded or compressed cylindrical or spherical elements, ground tobacco flakes, fillers, flavors, visible aerosol forming materials, binders, ovoid elements, irregular shaped elements, shreds, flakes, tobacco-containing elements, visible aerosol forming material-containing elements, adsorbent substances, absorbent substances, capsules, microcapsules, honeycomb monoliths, single porous structures, and combinations thereof. Thus, the present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0008] Embodiment 1 Aerosol delivery system comprising a control body part including a first elongated tubular member having opposing ends, a power source disposed therein, and a cartridge body part including a second tubular member having opposing first and second ends, wherein one of the first and second ends is detachably engaged with one of the opposing ends of the control body part, the cartridge body part further comprising a first aerosol generating device disposed within the second tubular member, configured to operably engage the power source upon engagement between one of the opposing ends of the control body part and one of the first and second ends of the cartridge body part, the other of the first and second ends of the cartridge body part being further optionally configured as a mouth engagement end, and the cartridge body part further comprising a second aerosol generating device disposed within the second tubular member between the first aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end.

[0009] Embodiment 2 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, or combinations thereof, wherein the second aerosol generating device further comprises at least one aerosol generating element.

[0010] Embodiment 3 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, or combinations thereof, wherein the at least one aerosol generating element is selected from the group consisting of granules, pellets, beads, small discontinuous units, carbon pieces, extruded carbon pieces, ceramic beads, melaminated tobacco pieces, extruded or compressed cylindrical or spherical elements, comminuted tobacco flakes, fillers, flavorings, visible aerosol-forming materials, binders, ovoid elements, irregularly shaped elements, shreds, flakes, tobacco-containing elements, visible aerosol-forming material-containing elements, adsorbent substances, absorbent substances, capsules, microcapsules, honeycomb monoliths, single porous structures, and combinations thereof.

[0011] Embodiment 4 Further comprising a first separation element disposed within a second tubular member between the first aerosol generating device and the second aerosol generating device, wherein the first separation element is either thermally conductive or gas permeable, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0012] Embodiment 5 The first separation element extends along a longitudinal axis between opposing ends to define a thickness, and the thickness of the first separation element is configured to space the second aerosol generating device from the heating element of the first aerosol generating device, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0013] Embodiment 6 Further comprising a second separation element disposed within a second tubular member between the second aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end, wherein the second separation element is either thermally conductive or gas permeable, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0014] Embodiment 7 The second aerosol generating device comprises a cartridge having an elongated tubular body and opposing end members, each of the end members being either thermally conductive or gas permeable, the elongated tubular body being configured to receive at least one aerosol generating element and further configured to cooperate with the opposing end members to house at least one aerosol generating element therein, and the cartridge being configured to be received by a second tubular member, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0015] Embodiment 8 The first aerosol generating device comprises a liquid container disposed within the second tubular member and configured to receive an aerosol precursor substance used by the first aerosol generating device to generate a first aerosol, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0016] Embodiment 9 Any aerosol delivery system of the above or below embodiments, or a combination thereof, wherein the aerosol precursor substance is one of a flavorless agent and an acid-free substance.

[0017] Embodiment 10 Any aerosol delivery system of the above or below embodiments, or a combination thereof, wherein the aerosol precursor substance is one of glycerin, propylene glycol, water, physiological saline, nicotine, an organic acid, and a combination thereof.

[0018] Embodiment 11 The first aerosol generating device is configured to provide heat for generating a first aerosol, the second aerosol generating device includes at least one aerosol generating element, and at least one aerosol generating element is arranged to interact with a first aerosol drawn through the aerosol generating element to a mouth engagement end in response to heat and suction applied to a mouth engagement end of the cartridge body. Any aerosol delivery system of the above or below embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0019] Embodiment 12 Any aerosol delivery system of the above or below embodiments, or a combination thereof, wherein at least one aerosol generating element of the second aerosol generating device is configured to interact with either heat from a heating element of the first aerosol generating device or a first aerosol generated by the first aerosol generating device for generating a second aerosol.

[0020] Embodiment 13 Any aerosol delivery system of the above or below embodiments, or a combination thereof, wherein the first aerosol generated by the first aerosol generating device is configured to interact with a second aerosol generated by a second aerosol generating device for forming a third aerosol drawn to the mouth engagement end in response to suction applied to the mouth engagement end.

[0021] Embodiment 14 At least one aerosol generation element of a second aerosol generation device interacts with a first aerosol generated by a first aerosol generation device to generate an enhanced aerosol that is drawn into a mouth engagement end in response to suction applied to the mouth engagement end, and is configured to impart a strengthening substance, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0022] Embodiment 15 At least one aerosol generation element of a second aerosol generation device interacts with a first aerosol generated by a first aerosol generation device to generate a cooling aerosol that is drawn into a mouth engagement end in response to suction applied to the mouth engagement end, and is configured to remove heat from the first aerosol, any aerosol delivery system of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0023] Embodiment 16 A control body portion including a first elongated tubular member having opposing ends and a power source disposed therein, and a cartridge body portion including a second tubular member having a first opposing end that engages with one of the opposing ends of the control body portion and a second end, the second tubular member further including a first aerosol generation device disposed therein, configured to operably engage the power source at an engagement portion between one of the opposing ends of the control body portion and the first end of the cartridge body portion, the second end of the cartridge body portion facing the mouth engagement end of the aerosol delivery system, and disposed between the first aerosol generation device of the aerosol delivery system and the mouth engagement end, and comprising a second aerosol generation device that is removably engaged with the cartridge body portion or housed within the second tubular member of the cartridge body portion, an aerosol delivery system.

[0024] Embodiment 17 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the second aerosol generating device further comprises a plurality of aerosol generating elements in the form of beads or pellets containing at least one aerosol forming material.

[0025] Embodiment 18 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the aerosol generating element further comprises one or more of particulate tobacco, tobacco extract and nicotine, and the nicotine is in the free base form, salt form, complex or solvated compound.

[0026] Embodiment 19 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the aerosol generating element further comprises one or more fillers, binders, flavorants and combinations thereof.

[0027] Embodiment 20 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the aerosol generating element is smoked.

[0028] Embodiment 21 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the second aerosol generating device is housed within a second tubular member of the cartridge body and is held in position by a first air permeable separation element disposed within the second tubular member between the first and second aerosol generating devices, and further comprises a plurality of aerosol generating elements in the form of beads or pellets and a second separation element between the second aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end.

[0029] Embodiment 22 The aerosol delivery system of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the second aerosol generating device is detachably engaged with the cartridge body and is held in position by a first air permeable separation element between the first and second aerosol generating devices, and further comprises a plurality of aerosol generating elements in the form of beads or pellets and a second separation element between the second aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end.

[0030] Embodiment 23 A method of forming an aerosol delivery system, wherein a first elongated tubular member is configured as a control body portion and has a power source disposed therein, a second tubular member is configured as a cartridge body portion and has a first aerosol generating device disposed therein, and a first aerosol generating element is configured to operably engage the power source at an engagement portion between one end of the control body portion and a first end of the cartridge body portion. One end of the first elongated tubular member is detachably engaged with a first end of the second tubular member, and a second end is opposite to the first end and is configured as a mouth engagement end. A second aerosol generating device is inserted into a second tubular member of the cartridge body portion between the first aerosol generating device and the second end of the second tubular member.

[0031] Embodiment 24 The step of engaging the second aerosol generating device with the cartridge body portion as described above includes inserting the second aerosol generating device into a second tubular member of the cartridge body portion between the first aerosol generating device and the second end of the second tubular member, and the second end is opposite to the first end and is configured as a mouth engagement end. Any method of the above or following embodiments.

[0032] Embodiment 25 Inserting the second aerosol generating device into the second tubular member further includes inserting at least one aerosol generating element that at least partially forms the second aerosol generating device in the second tubular member, and the at least one aerosol generating element is selected from the group consisting of granules, pellets, beads, small discontinuous units, carbon pieces, extruded carbon pieces, ceramic beads, melaminated tobacco pieces, extruded or compressed cylindrical or spherical elements, ground tobacco flakes, fillers, flavors, visible aerosol forming materials, binders, ovoid elements, irregular shaped elements, shreds, flakes, tobacco-containing elements, visible aerosol forming material-containing elements, adsorbent substances, absorbent substances, capsules, microcapsules, honeycomb monoliths, single porous structures, and combinations thereof. Any method of the above or following embodiments, or combinations thereof.

[0033] Embodiment 26 further includes inserting a first separation element into a second tubular member between the first aerosol generating device and the second aerosol generating device, wherein the first separation element is either thermally conductive or gas permeable, and is a method of any of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0034] Embodiment 27 further includes inserting a second separation element into a second tubular member between the second aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end, wherein the second separation element is one of thermally conductive and gas permeable, and is a method of any of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0035] Embodiment 28 The second aerosol generating device includes a cartridge having an elongated tubular body and opposing end members, each of the end members being one of thermally conductive and gas permeable, the elongated tubular body being configured to receive at least one aerosol generating element and further configured to cooperate with the opposing end members to accommodate at least one aerosol generating element therein, and inserting the second aerosol generating device further includes inserting the cartridge into a second tubular member of the cartridge body, and is a method of any of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0036] Embodiment 29 A first elongated tubular member is configured as a control body portion and has a power source disposed therein, a second tubular member is configured as a cartridge body portion and has a first aerosol generating device disposed therein, a first aerosol generating element is configured to operably engage the power source at an engagement portion between one end of the control body portion and a first end of the cartridge body portion, engaging one end of the first elongated tubular member with a first end of the second tubular member, and engaging the cartridge body portion with a second aerosol generating device such that a second end of the cartridge body portion faces a mouth engagement end of the aerosol delivery system and the second aerosol generating device is disposed between the first aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end of the aerosol delivery system, a method of forming an aerosol delivery system.

[0037] Embodiment 30 The method according to any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the second aerosol generating device includes a plurality of aerosol generating elements in bead or pellet form held in a fixed position by a first air-permeable separation element disposed within the second tubular member between the first aerosol generating device and the second aerosol generating device and a second separation element between the second aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end.

[0038] Embodiment 31 The method according to any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the step of engaging the second aerosol generating device with the cartridge body portion includes removably engaging the second aerosol generating device with the cartridge body portion, the second aerosol generating device comprising a first end configured to removably engage the cartridge body portion and a second end adapted to provide a mouth engagement end of the aerosol delivery system, the second aerosol generating device comprising a plurality of aerosol generating elements in bead or pellet form held in a fixed position by a first air-permeable separation element between the first aerosol generating device and the second aerosol generating device and a second separation element between the second aerosol generating device and the mouth engagement end.

[0039] Embodiment 32 The method of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the second aerosol generating device comprises a plurality of aerosol generating elements in bead or pellet form comprising at least one aerosol forming material.

[0040] Embodiment 33 The method of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the aerosol generating element further comprises one or more of particulate tobacco, tobacco extract and nicotine, and the nicotine is in free base form, salt form, complex or solvate form.

[0041] Embodiment 34 The method of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the aerosol generating element further comprises one or more fillers, binders, flavorants and combinations thereof.

[0042] Embodiment 35 The method of any of the above or following embodiments, wherein the aerosol generating element is smoked.

[0043] Embodiment 36 An aerosol delivery system comprising a first elongated tubular member having opposing ends and a control body portion including a power source disposed therein, and a cartridge body portion including a second tubular member having opposing first and second ends, the first end engaging one of the opposing ends of the control body portion, the cartridge body portion further comprising a first aerosol generating device disposed in the second tubular member, configured to operably engage the power source by engagement between one of the opposing ends of the control body portion and the first end of the cartridge body portion, the second end of the cartridge body portion facing the mouth engaging end of the aerosol delivery system, a second aerosol generating device disposed between the first aerosol generating device of the aerosol delivery system and the mouth engaging end, the second aerosol generating device being removably engaged with the cartridge body portion or housed in the second tubular member of the cartridge body portion, the second aerosol generating device further comprising a plurality of aerosol generating elements in bead or pellet form.

[0044] Embodiment 37 The second aerosol generating device comprises an external housing body and a plurality of stackable and gas-permeable containers within the external housing body, each container containing a plurality of aerosol generating elements, for any of the aerosol delivery systems of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0045] Embodiment 38 The second aerosol generating device comprises an external housing body and an internal compartment subdivided into a plurality of sub-compartments, each sub-compartment containing a plurality of aerosol generating elements, for any of the aerosol delivery systems of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0046] Embodiment 39 The beads or pellets comprise a substrate material selected from the group consisting of glass beads, fibers, honeycomb structures, porous monoliths and polymer beads, for any of the aerosol delivery systems of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0047] Embodiment 40 Each bead or pellet is in the form of an extruded material comprising a particulate material selected from tobacco material and filler, at least one aerosol-forming material, and at least one binder, for any of the aerosol delivery systems of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0048] Embodiment 41 The aerosol generating element further comprises one or more flavorants, for any of the aerosol delivery systems of the above or following embodiments, or a combination thereof.

[0049] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the above-described aspects, as well as any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements described in this disclosure, whether or not explicitly combined in the description of particular embodiments herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read comprehensively such that any separable feature or element of the disclosed invention should be considered combinable unless there is a clear indication to the contrary in the context of any of its various aspects and embodiments.

[0050] Having generally described the present disclosure in this manner, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0051]

Figure 1

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] Here, the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments. By fully describing these exemplary embodiments so that this disclosure is complete, the scope of the present disclosure will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will meet the applicable legal requirements. As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" shall include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0053] As described below, aspects of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. An aerosol delivery system according to the present disclosure uses electrical energy to heat a material for forming an inhalable substance (preferably burning the material to a lesser extent), and components of such a system are articles having a sufficiently small form factor to be considered portable for such a system. That is, by using the components of a preferred aerosol delivery system, no smoke production is brought about in the sense that the aerosol is mainly derived from the by-products of tobacco combustion or pyrolysis, and these preferred systems result in the production of vapors (including vapors within an aerosol that may be considered a visible / invisible aerosol described as smoky) resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. In a preferred aspect, the components of the aerosol delivery system may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and these electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or components obtained from tobacco, and thus deliver tobacco derived from the components in aerosol form.

[0054] The aerosol-generating piece of a given preferred aerosol delivery system may provide many of the sensations of smoking a tobacco, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the rituals of inhalation and exhalation, types of flavors or tastes, sensory effects, physical sensations, usage rituals, visual stimuli, such as those provided by a visible aerosol, etc.) without substantially burning any of its components and without igniting and burning the tobacco (and thus without inhaling tobacco smoke). For example, a user of an aerosol-generating piece of the present disclosure can hold and use one piece as a smoker would use a traditional smoking article, and inhale from one end of the piece to draw in the aerosol generated by that piece and take puffs at selected time intervals.

[0055] In addition, the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure may be characterized as a suitable vapor generation article, aerosol generation article, or drug delivery article. Thus, such an article, system, or device may be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., fragrance, pharmaceutically active ingredient, peptide, protein fragment, and / or protein membrane) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance may be in a substantially vapor form (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may be in an aerosol form (i.e., a suspension of discrete microparticles or droplets in a gas). For the sake of simplicity, as used herein, the term "aerosol" refers to including vapor, gas, aerosol, and / or particulate form or particulate type that is suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or invisible, and whether in a form considered "smoky" or not.

[0056] The aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure preferably comprises some combination of a power source (i.e., a power supply), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating, and / or terminating the supplied power for heat generation, such as by controlling the flow of current from a power release device to other components of the aerosol generator), a heating component or heat generating component (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element and associated components commonly referred to as providing a "atomizer"), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., components generally referred to as "smoke juice", "e-liquid", "e-juice", etc., which are generally liquid components capable of generating an aerosol upon the application of sufficient heat), and a mouthpiece region, mouth engagement end, or mouth engagement tip for enabling inhalation on the aerosol delivery system for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined air flow path through the aerosol generator through which the generated aerosol can be inhaled by suction).

[0057] More specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of the components in the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure are provided below. Further, the selection and arrangement of 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 of the present disclosure.

[0058] In some aspects, in the use of the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure, a user may perform many of the actions taken by an individual using a traditional type of smoking article. For example, a user of the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can hold the article in a manner similar to a traditional smoking article, draw on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, and take puffs at selected time intervals or for selected periods of time.

[0059] An example of such an aerosol delivery system is shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows a partially exploded view of an aerosol delivery system 100 including a cartridge body 200 and a control body 300 (or, as referred to herein, a “cartridge body portion” and a “control body portion,” respectively). The cartridge body 200 and the control body 300 may be permanently or removably aligned or removably engaged in an operative relationship. Various mechanisms may be used to couple the cartridge body 200 to the control body 300 to provide, for example, a threaded engagement, a press-fit engagement, a snap-fit engagement, a magnetic engagement, and the like. When the cartridge body 200 and the control body 300 are in an assembled configuration state, the aerosol delivery system 100 may be, in some embodiments, substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular-shaped, or cylindrical. As used herein, “tubular” refers to a hollow, elongated body, but is not limited to a particular cross-sectional shape or the outer contour of a particular body. Also, those skilled in the art will understand that, in some cases, although not detailed herein, the cartridge body 200 and the control body 300 forming the aerosol delivery system 100 may be configured in a single-piece, non-removable shape and incorporate the components, aspects, and features disclosed in connection with and disclosed in the present disclosure.

[0060] In some examples, either or both of the cartridge body 200 and the control body 300 may be referred to as disposable (i.e., the single-piece, non-detachable type disclosed previously) or reusable. For example, the reusable control body 300 may use a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery, and thus may be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a typical AC outlet, connection to a vehicle charger (i.e., cigarette socket), and connection to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB). Generally, an aerosol delivery system of the type disclosed herein incorporates a battery or other power source to provide sufficient current to an article to provide various functions, such as powering a heater or heating element, powering a control system, and powering a display. The power source can take various forms. It is preferred that the power source deliver sufficient power to rapidly heat the heating element, provide for aerosol formation during the desired period of use, and operate the article. The power source is preferably sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device / system such that the aerosol delivery device / system can be easily operated, and further, the preferred power source is light enough so as not to detract from the desired smoking experience. Additionally, in some cases, the cartridge body 200 may include, for example, a single-use cartridge (i.e., disposable) as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060555 to Chang, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0061] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the control body 300 of the aerosol delivery system 100 according to another example. As shown, the control body 300 includes a coupler 302, an outer body 304, a sealing member 306, an adhesive member 308 (e.g., KAPTON (registered trademark) tape), a flow sensor 310 (e.g., a puff sensor or a pressure switch), control components 312, a spacer 314, a power source 316 (e.g., rechargeable by a battery), a circuit board 318 with a display (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED)), a connector circuit 320, and an end cap 322. Examples of power sources are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 by Pecherar et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0062] Regarding the flow sensor 310, representative current adjustment components and other current control components including various microcontrollers, sensors, and switches for aerosol delivery devices / systems are incorporated herein by reference, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., 4,947,874 by Brooks et al., 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al., 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al., 7,040,314 by Nguyen et al., and 8,205,622 by Pan, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 by Fernando et al., 2014 / 0060554 by Collett et al., 2014 / 0270727 by Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 209,191 filed on March 13, 2014 by Henry et al.

[0063] In some examples, display 318 may include one or more light emitting diodes. Display 318 communicates with control component 312 via connector circuit 320 and may be lit, for example, while a user aspirates cartridge body 200 coupled to coupler 302 as detected by flow sensor 310. End cap 322 may be configured to visualize the illumination provided by display 318. Thus, display 318 may be lit during use of aerosol delivery system 100 and may mimic the lit end of a smoking article. However, in other examples, display 318 can be provided with various numbers, can take on different shapes, and can be an opening in the external body (such as to emit sound if such a display is present). Further representative types, configurations, and uses of displays, such as components that produce visual stimuli or light emitting diode (LED) components, are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel, No. 8,499,766 to Newton, No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 173,266 filed Feb. 5, 2014 to Sears, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0064] Further, features, controls, and components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery devices and systems of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris, No. 5,934,289 to Watkins, U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts, No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer, No. 7,726,320 to Robinson, No. 8,365,742 to Hon, No. 8,689,804 to Fernando, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 to Tucker, No. 2013 / 0298905 to Leven, 2013 / 0180553 to Kim, No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0161495 to Novak III, and 2014 / 0261408 to DePiano.

[0065] Returning to FIG. 1, the cartridge body 200 is shown in an exploded configuration. As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cartridge body 200 may include a base shipping plug 202, a base 204, a control component terminal 206, an electronic control component 208, a flow tube 210, an atomizer 212, a reservoir substrate 214, an outer body 216, a label 218, a mouthpiece 220, and a mouthpiece shipping plug 222. The base 204 is coupled to the first end of the outer body 216, and the mouthpiece 220 is coupled to the opposing second end of the outer body 216, which can house the remaining components of the cartridge body 200 therein. The base 204 may be configured to removably engage with a coupler 302 of the control body 300. In some examples, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495, such as Novak III, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, the base 204 may have an anti-rotation function that substantially prevents relative rotation between the cartridge body and the control body. Various exemplary coupling mechanisms for upstream and downstream components of the electronic cigarette have been described in the patent literature and have been adopted in the production of commercially available electronic cigarettes. For example, representative types of coupling mechanisms for electronic cigarettes are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495, such as Novak III, and U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 170,838, filed on February 3, 2014, by Bless, etc., which are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0066] The base shipping plug 202 may be configured to engage with the base 204 and protect the base 204 before use of the cartridge body 200. Similarly, the mouthpiece shipping plug 222 may be configured to engage with the mouthpiece 220 and protect the mouthpiece 220 before use of the cartridge body 200. The control component terminal 206, the electronic control component 208, the flow tube 210, the atomizer 212, and the reservoir substrate 214 (which engages with the aerosol precursor composition or aerosol precursor material) may be held within the outer body 216. The label 218 may at least partially surround the outer body 216 and may contain information such as a product identification name thereon.

[0067] The arrangement of components within either or both of the control body and the cartridge body of the aerosol delivery device and system may be changed. In a specific embodiment, the aerosol precursor composition may be disposed near one end of the overall article (e.g., within a cartridge body that may be replaceable and disposable in certain situations) and may be configured to be relatively close to the user's mouth so as to maximize delivery of the aerosol to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, the heating element is disposed sufficiently close to the aerosol precursor composition such that heat from the heating element can volatilize the aerosol precursor (and / or one or more flavorants, drugs, etc. that may be provided in a similar manner for delivery to the user) to form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed, dispersed, and generated in a physical form suitable for the consumer to inhale. Note that the foregoing terms referring to dispersing, being dispersed, disperses (third person) or having been dispersed are interchangeable and include forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the substance to be inhaled is dispersed in the form of vapor, aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Further, the selection of various aerosol delivery device components can be understood in view of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices such as the representative products described above in this disclosure.

[0068] The nebulizer (i.e., aerosol generating device) 212 may include a first heating terminal 234a and a second heating terminal 234b, a liquid transport element 238, and a heating element 240. In this regard, the reservoir and / or reservoir substrate 214 may be configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition. The aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as the vapor precursor composition, may include various components in different manners. By way of example, such components may include any of polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, water, flavorants, and combinations thereof.

[0069] The aerosol precursor or the precursor composition may vary. Most preferably, the aerosol precursor composition consists of a combination or mixture of various components or constituents. The selection of specific aerosol precursor components and the relative amounts of these components used may be varied to control the overall chemical composition of the mainstream aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device. What is specifically important for the aerosol precursor composition is that it can generally be characterized as a liquid in nature. For example, a typical aerosol precursor composition may be in 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 is evaporable when exposed to heat under the circumstances in which it is placed during the use of the aerosol generating device which is a feature of the present disclosure, and can thus produce inhalable vapors and aerosols.

[0070] In an aerosol delivery system characterized as an e-cigarette, it is most preferred that the aerosol precursor composition incorporates tobacco or tobacco-derived components. On the one hand, the tobacco may be provided as part or pieces of tobacco such as finely shredded, ground, or powdered tobacco flakes. On the other hand, the tobacco may be provided in an extracted form such as spray-dried extracts incorporating many of the water-soluble components of the tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco extract may be in the form of a relatively high nicotine-containing extract which also incorporates lesser amounts of other extracted components derived from the tobacco. On the other hand, the tobacco-derived components may be provided in a relatively pure form such as a predetermined flavor derived from the tobacco. On the one hand, the tobacco-derived component that is highly produced or employed in an essentially pure form is nicotine (for example, pharmaceutical grade nicotine).

[0071] As described above, highly purified tobacco-derived nicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical-grade nicotine with a purity exceeding 98% or 99%) or its derivatives may be used in the present invention. Representative nicotine-containing extracts may be provided using the techniques described in U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 by Brinkley et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the products of the present invention may contain any form of nicotine from any source, whether tobacco-derived or synthetic. The nicotine compound used in the products of the present invention may include nicotine in free base form, salt form, complex, or solvate compound. For example, see the discussion of nicotine in free base form in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004 / 0191322 by Hansson, which is incorporated herein by reference. At least a portion of the nicotine compound may be employed in the form of a resin complex of nicotine in which nicotine is bound to an ion exchange resin such as nicotine polacrillex. For example, see U.S. Patent No. 3,901,248 by Lichtneckert et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. At least a portion of the nicotine may be employed in salt form. The salts of nicotine may be provided using the types and techniques of components described in U.S. Patent No. 2,033,909 by Cox et al. and Perfetti, Beitrage Tabakforschung Int., 12 43-54 (1983). Further, the salts of nicotine have been obtained from sources such as Pfaltz and Bauer, Inc. and K&K Laboratories, Division of ICN Biochemicals, Inc. Exemplary pharmaceutically acceptable salts of nicotine include tartrates (e.g., nicotine tartrate and nicotine bitartrate), chloride compounds (e.g., nicotine hydrochloride and nicotine dihydrochloride), sulfates, perchlorates, ascorbate hydrochloride, fumarates, citrates, malates, lactates, aspartates, salicylates, tosylates, succinates, pyruvates, and nicotine salt hydrates (e.g., nicotine zinc chloride-hydrate), etc.In some embodiments, at least a portion of the nicotine component is in a salt form comprising an organic acid moiety, including but not limited to levulinic acid, as discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011 / 0268809 to Brinkley, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] Also, the aerosol precursor composition may incorporate a so-called "aerosol-forming material". In some examples, such materials have the function of producing a visible (or invisible) aerosol when evaporated upon exposure to heat under the circumstances encountered during normal use of the aerosol-generating devices specific to the present disclosure. Such aerosol-forming materials include various polyols or polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof). Also, aspects of the present disclosure incorporate aerosol precursor components characterized as water, physiological saline, water vapor, or aqueous liquids. During normal use of some aerosol-generating devices, the water incorporated within these aerosol-generating devices may evaporate to produce the components of the generated aerosol. Thus, for the purposes of the present disclosure, the water present in the aerosol precursor composition may be considered an aerosol-forming material.

[0073] It is possible to employ a wide variety of any flavor or material that modifies the sensory characteristics or properties of the drawn mainstream aerosol produced by the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure. For example, any such flavor may be used in the aerosol precursor composition or in the aerosol precursor material to modify the flavor, aroma, and sensory properties of the aerosol. Some flavors may be provided from sources other than tobacco. Exemplary flavors may be essentially natural or artificial and may be employed as concentrates or flavor packages.

[0074] Exemplary flavorings include flavorings and flavor packages of the types and characteristics traditionally used for flavoring vanilla, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruits (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and citrus fruit flavors including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarilla, cocoa, licorice, and tobacco, cigar and pipe tobacco. Also, syrups such as high fructose corn syrup may be employed. A predetermined flavoring may be incorporated into the aerosol-forming material prior to the formation of the final aerosol precursor mixture (e.g., a predetermined water-soluble flavoring may be incorporated into water, menthol may be incorporated into propylene glycol, and a predetermined complex flavor package may be incorporated into propylene glycol). However, in some aspects of the present disclosure, the aerosol precursor composition does not include any flavoring agents, flavor characteristics or additives.

[0075] Also, the aerosol precursor composition may include components that exhibit acidic or basic characteristics (e.g., organic acids, ammonium salts or organic amines). For example, a predetermined organic acid (e.g., levulinic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid and pyruvic acid) may be included in the formation of an aerosol precursor that incorporates nicotine, preferably in an equimolar amount (based on total organic acid content) with the nicotine. For example, the aerosol precursor may include about 0.1 to 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to 0.5 moles of succinic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to 0.5 moles of lactic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per mole of nicotine or various permutations and combinations thereof, until the total amount of the organic acid present reaches an equimolar concentration 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 include any acidic (or basic) characteristics or additives.

[0076] As a non-limiting example, a representative aerosol precursor composition or aerosol precursor material may include glycerin, propylene glycol, water, physiological saline, nicotine, and any combination or mixture of any or all of these components. For example, in one example, a representative aerosol precursor composition may include from about 70% to 100% glycerin, from about 80% to 90% glycerin, from about 5% to 25% water, often from about 10% to 20% water, from about 0.1% to 5% nicotine, often from about 2% to 3% nicotine (by weight). As one specific non-limiting example, a representative aerosol precursor composition may include 84% glycerin, 14% water, and 2% nicotine. Also, a representative aerosol precursor composition may include propylene glycol, any flavoring or other additives, the amounts of which vary by weight. In some examples, the aerosol precursor composition may include up to about 100% by weight of any of glycerin, water, and physiological saline, as needed or desired.

[0077] Also, representative types of aerosol precursor components and aerosol precursor formation are described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., No. 2013 / 0213417 to Chong et al., and No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collett et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be employed include those incorporated in the VUSE® products of R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, the BLU™ products of Lorillard Technologies, the MISTIC MENTHOL products of Mistic Ecigs, and the VYPE products of CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable are so-called "smoke juices" for electronic cigarettes available from Johnson Creek Enterprise LLC.

[0078] The amount of aerosol precursor incorporated into the aerosol delivery system is such that the aerosol generating device provides a feel and desired performance characteristics that meet the conditions. For example, it is highly preferred that a sufficient amount of aerosol forming material (e.g., glycerin and / or propylene glycol) is employed to provide for the generation of a mainstream aerosol (visible or non-visible) that in many respects resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke. The amount of aerosol precursor composition in the aerosol generating device may vary depending on factors such as the desired number of puffs per aerosol generating device. Typically, the amount of aerosol precursor composition incorporated into the aerosol delivery system and specifically the amount of aerosol precursor composition incorporated into the aerosol generating device is less than about 2 g, generally less than about 1.5 g, often less than about 1 g, and frequently less than 0.5 g.

[0079] The reservoir substrate 214 may comprise a multi-layer non-woven fiber product formed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds the inside of the outer body 216 of the cartridge body 200. Thus, for example, the liquid component can be sorptively retained by the reservoir substrate 214. The reservoir substrate 214 is in fluid connection with the liquid transport element 238. The liquid transport element 238 may be configured to transport liquid (i.e., the aerosol precursor composition) from the reservoir substrate 214 to the heating element 240 via capillary action. Representative types of substrates, reservoirs or other components for supporting the aerosol precursor composition are described in Newton U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al. and 2015 / 0059789 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 170,838 filed Feb. 3, 2014 to Bless et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, the configuration and operation of various wicking materials and the wicking materials in a given type of electronic cigarette are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0209105 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0080] As shown in the illustration, the liquid transport element 238 may be in direct contact with the heating element 240. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the heating element 240 may include a wire that defines a plurality of coils wound around the liquid transport element 238. In some examples, the heating element 240 may be formed by winding a wire around the liquid transport element 238 as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0157583 to Ward, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, in some examples, the wire may define a variable coil spacing as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270730 to DePiano, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. When an electric current is applied, various materials configured to generate heat may be employed to form the heating element 240. Examples of materials that can form the wire coil include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nichrome, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum phosphosilicide (MpoSi2), molybdenum disilicide with added aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite and graphite-based materials, and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics).

[0081] However, various other methods may be employed to form the heating element 240, and various other aspects of the heating element may be employed in the nebulizer 212. For example, a punched heating element may be employed in the nebulizer as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270729 to DePiano, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Continuing, more representative heating elements and heating materials used in nebulizers are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 to Counts, U.S. Patent No. 5,093,894 to Deevi, U.S. Patent No. 5,224,498 to Deevi, U.S. Patent No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,322,075 to Deevi, U.S. Patent No. 5,353,813 to Deevi, U.S. Patent No. 5,498,850 to Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,659,656 to Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,498,855 to Deevi, U.S. Patent No. 5,530,225 to Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,573,368 to Das, and U.S. Patent No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Further, chemical heating may be employed in other aspects. Also, various components of the heater may be used in certain aspects of the present aerosol delivery device / system. In various examples, one or more microheaters or similar solid state heating elements may be used. Exemplary microheaters that may be utilized are further described herein. Additionally, a nebulizer incorporating a microheater and a microheater suitable for use in the aerosol delivery device / system of the present disclosure is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collett, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0082] When the cartridge body 200 is coupled to the control body 300, the first heating terminal 234a and the second heating terminal 234b (e.g., positive and negative terminals) of the opposing ends of the heating element 240 are configured to form an electrical connection (detachable connection) with the control body 300. Further, when the control body 300 is coupled to the cartridge body 200, the electronic control component 208 may form an electrical connection with the control body 300 via the control component terminal 206. Thus, the control body 300 may employ the electronic control component 208 to determine whether the cartridge body 200 is genuine and / or to perform other functions. Further, various examples of the electronic control component and the functions performed thereby are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0083] During use, the user may suck on the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200 of the aerosol delivery system 100. Thereby, air may be sucked through the openings of the control body 300 and / or the cartridge body 200. For example, in one example, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 to DePiano, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, the opening may be defined between the coupler 302 and the outer body 304 of the control body 300. However, in other aspects, the air flow may be received through other parts of the aerosol delivery device / system 100. As described above, in some aspects, the cartridge body 200 may include a flow tube 210. The flow tube 210 may be configured to direct the air flow received from the control body 300 to the heating element 240 of the nebulizer 212.

[0084] A sensor of the aerosol delivery device / system 100 (e.g., a puff sensor or a flow sensor in the control body 300) may sense puffing. More generally, when aerosol generation is desired (e.g., in response to an inhalation during use), a sensor or detector may be implemented to control the supply of current to the heating element 240. Thus, for example, when aerosol generation is not desired during use, a technique or method is provided for stopping the power supply to the heating element 240 and for supplying power to activate or induce heat generation by the heating element 240 during inhalation. Further representative types of sensing or detecting mechanisms, structures and configurations of the aerosol delivery device / system 100, its components and its general method of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., No. 5,373,148 to McCafferty, etc. and PCT International Publication Patent No. WO2010 / 003480 to Flick, which are incorporated herein by reference. When puffing is sensed, the control body 300 may direct current to the heating element 240 via a circuit including a first heating terminal 234a and a second heating terminal 234b. Thus, the heating element 240 may evaporate the aerosol precursor composition induced from the reservoir substrate 214 to the aerosolization region by the liquid transport element 238. Thereby, the mouthpiece 220 may allow the passage of air and entrained vapor from the cartridge body 200 to the consumer's inhalation location on the cartridge body. Various other details regarding components that may be included in the cartridge body 200 are provided in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak III, etc., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0085] The various components of the aerosol delivery device / system may be selected from those described by persons skilled in the art and commercially available components. For example, reference is made to the reservoir and heater system for the controllable delivery of a plurality of aerosolizable materials of an electronic smoking article described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. It should be further noted that the reservoir and heater system portion of the cartridge body 200 shown in FIG. 1 is optional. In this regard, by way of example, the cartridge body 200 may not necessarily include a flow tube 210, a control component terminal 206, and / or an electronic control component 208 in some examples.

[0086] A particular aspect of the present disclosure is shown, for example, in FIG. 3. In such an example, the cartridge body 200 may further incorporate a second aerosol generating device 400 (where the atomizer 212 is considered the "first aerosol generating device") longitudinally disposed in an outer body 216 between the atomizer 212 of the cartridge body 200 and the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220. In some aspects, the second aerosol generating device 400 is configured to be generally porous or to allow air passage therethrough. In some particular examples, the second aerosol generating device 400 may include one or more aerosol generating elements 425 configured from at least one or a plurality of pellets, beads, other suitable components, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the at least one or a plurality of pellets, beads, other suitable components, or combinations thereof forming the aerosol generating element 425 may, optionally, be coaxially surrounded by a generally cylindrical heat conductive member (not shown) and / or surrounded by or jacketed with an insulator (e.g., a non-woven mat or a layer of glass filaments or glass fibers) or other suitable material (not shown).

[0087] The overall configuration of the second aerosol generating device 400 within the cartridge body 200 of the aerosol delivery device / system 100 may be considered to be essentially generally cylindrical. Representative preferred beads or other substances may be generated from a formation incorporating tobacco (e.g., granular tobacco), components of tobacco and / or tobacco-derived substances (e.g., tobacco extracts such as water-soluble tobacco extracts or tobacco-derived nicotine including pharmaceutical grade nicotine), etc. The beads most preferably incorporate flavor and visible or invisible aerosol forming materials (e.g., glycerin or other materials that produce a visible vapor similar to smoke). That is, the components of the beads are preferably configured to act as a substrate component for volatile flavor, material forming vapor, water vapor or other liquid, and / or aerosol forming materials held by the beads. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating element 425 may be in the form of a coating or film on the wall or backing of the housing body surrounding the aerosol generating element, regardless of whether it is solid, liquid, gelatinous, colloidal, gaseous or other shape, and regardless of the following processed products or combinations, e.g., caramelized tobacco beads that change in shape and size, monoliths of bonded (e.g., sintered) beads, porous monoliths (sponge-like porous structures), single porous structures, honeycomb monoliths or other porous geometric skeletons, single sheet porous materials, beads of extracted tobacco, beads of porous materials holding tobacco extracts (e.g., calcium carbonate, ceramic, glass, etc.), reconstituted tobacco fragments, expanded tobacco fragments, extruded rods of various materials holding tobacco flavor (including hollow cylinders and grooved rods), shavings, fibers, flavor releasing particles, flavor holding (and releasing) polymers, fine grains, co-crystals, capsules, powders and / or microcapsules of various materials holding tobacco flavor or other substances, include, comprise, or be configured as them.

[0088] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating element 425 may be at least partially in the form of a coating or film on the wall or backing of the housing body surrounding the aerosol generating element. For example, a film comprising microencapsulated flavorant may be coated on the wall or backing of the housing body.

[0089] Generally, as used herein, the terms "pellet" and "bead" mean beads, pellets, or small discrete units or fragments, such as, for example, in addition to those disclosed herein, carbon pieces, extruded carbon pieces cut into pellets, ceramic beads, melaminated tobacco pieces, polymer beads, glass beads, etc., or combinations thereof. For example, granules, pellets or beads are formed, cut or extended to a desired size and shape and then dried to retain the desired configuration, a slurry of a wet mixture or ground tobacco flakes, a filler (e.g., granular calcium carbonate), a flavor, a visible aerosol-forming material and a binder (e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose), and may generally be cylindrical, extruded spherical or compressed granules, pellets or beads. However, such "pellets" or "beads" may include any suitable component or combination of components that meet the preferred embodiments disclosed herein. For example, some or all of the beads or pellets may be included in the aerosol generating element and, when exposed to heat, rupture or decompose to release glycerin, propylene glycol, water, physiological saline, tobacco flavor and / or nicotine or other substances or additives, and may include heat-sensitive spherical capsules. Also, the beads may include ceramic, absorbent clay, silica or absorbent carbon to hold or release the aerosol-forming body. Further, in some embodiments, the beads / pellets may include, for example, thermally conductive materials such as thermally conductive graphite, thermoelectric ceramic, metal, tobacco cast on a sheet, metal impregnated with suitable aerosol product substances such as glycerin and flavor, or other suitable materials, or suitable cast sheet materials appropriately formed into the desired beads / pellets.

[0090] In one particular example, the beads / pellets (particles) may consist of from about 15 wt% to 60 wt% of finely ground tobacco particles (e.g., Oriental blend, Burley and Virginia tobacco, substantially all Oriental tobacco, substantially all Burley tobacco, or substantially all Virginia tobacco), from about 15 wt% to 60 wt% of finely ground calcium carbonate particles (or finely ground clay or ceramic particles), from about 10 wt% to about 50 wt% glycerol (and optional minor amounts of flavor), from about 0.25 wt% to about 15 wt% binder (preferably carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, potassium or ammonium alginate) and from about 15 wt% to 50 wt% water. In other examples, the beads / pellets (particles) may consist of about 30 wt% of finely ground tobacco particles (e.g., Oriental blend, Burley and Virginia tobacco, substantially all Oriental tobacco, substantially all Burley tobacco, or substantially all Virginia tobacco), about 30 wt% of finely ground calcium carbonate particles (or finely ground clay or ceramic particles), about 15 wt% glycerol (and optional minor amounts of flavor), about 1 wt% binder (preferably carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, potassium or ammonium alginate) and about 25 wt% water. In such examples, the particles may be compressed to retain glycerol, which may form a porous matrix that facilitates the movement of the aerosol-forming elements and promotes efficient aerosol formation. The manner in which the aerosol-forming material contacts the substrate can vary. The aerosol-forming material may be added to the shaping material, incorporated into the processing material during the manufacture of those materials, or inherent in the material. An aerosol-forming material such as glycerin may be dissolved or dispersed in an aqueous liquid, other suitable solvent or liquid carrier and sprayed onto the substrate material. See, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005 / 0066986 to Nestor and 2012 / 0067360 to Conner, which are incorporated herein by reference.Calcium carbonate or other inorganic fillers may promote the creation of numerous pores in the particles and, in some instances, may function to absorb heat that limits or prevents burning out of the aerosol-forming elements and promotes and facilitates aerosol formation. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,105,831 to Banerjee et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0173229 to Crooks et al., 2011 / 0271971 to Conner et al., and 2012 / 0042885 to Stone et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0091] In some embodiments, the beads / pellets are in the form of fragmented pieces of an extruded material comprising a particulate material that functions as a substrate for flavorants and / or aerosol-forming materials, such as tobacco (e.g., ground tobacco material) or filler material (e.g., rice flour or other grain-based material, and / or calcium carbonate), one or more binders (e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose), one or more flavorants (e.g., menthol), and one or more aerosol-forming materials (e.g., glycerin). Optionally, the beads / pellets may include one or more organic acids (e.g., levulinic acid or lactic acid), and / or one or more sweeteners (sugar or sugar substitute). The materials described above may be mixed together, extruded, and subdivided into fragments of a desired size. Optionally, the mixed materials may be malted.

[0092] In one embodiment, an aerosol-generating element 425, such as in the form of beads or pellets, may be smoked to impart a smoked flavor or aroma. For example, beads or pellets may be provided and then exposed to smoke from a combustible material such as a wood raw material (e.g., hickory, maple, oak, apple, cherry or mesquite). The beads or pellets may be smoked for a time sufficient to impart the desired smoked flavor or aroma, with exemplary times being between 5 minutes and 45 minutes. The method by which the beads or pellets are contacted with the smoke is diverse. In one example, it includes heating wood shavings placed in a container until smoke is emitted (e.g., heating the wood shavings to about 350 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit), and arranging the beads or pellets to be treated in an environment enclosed by the smoke generated by the wood shavings.

[0093] The components of the aerosol precursor composition of the first aerosol-generating device and the components of the aerosol precursor composition of the second aerosol-generating device are advantageously selected to complement each other to produce a desired sensory experience. For example, in some embodiments, the nicotine content of the aerosol precursor composition and the aerosol-generating element is selected such that the aerosol precursor composition and the aerosol-generating element can hold nicotine or a nicotine component, or can be considered to be substantially or completely free of nicotine or a nicotine component. In other words, all of the nicotine content may be in the aerosol-generating element, all of the nicotine content may be in the aerosol precursor composition, or both components may contain nicotine in some form.

[0094] In some embodiments, when the aerosol-generating element 425 comprises extrudates from various types of materials such as beads, pellet casts, or the aforementioned (i.e., graphite beads containing tobacco extracts and glycerin), the beads / pellets may be rolled between adjacent roller elements, for example, to flatten the shape of each bead / pellet during the "moist" or before drying. In some examples, the various types of materials described above may be extruded in the form of fibrous strands, and the strands may be collected for use in a second aerosol-generating device 400 to form a cylindrical rod or other suitable-shaped material. When dried, the flattened beads / pellets may be cut or otherwise processed to form other filler configurations, such as strands, flakes, or flat, rotation-preventing or rotation-impeding flat portions. Any random configuration resulting from the cutting process may be sufficient. In such examples, the flattened and cut beads / pellets may be included in the aerosol-generating element 425, and their irregular or random configuration can promote, for example, a plurality of intermediate spaces through the aerosol-generating element 425, and the intermediate spaces can promote heat transfer with the individual substances in the aerosol-generating element 425. That is, heating of the air in the intermediate spaces within the second aerosol-generating device 400 exposes more of the aerosol-generating elements 425 to the heat from the heating element 240, resulting in enhanced or improved heating of the aerosol-generating elements 425. In other examples, the heat generated by the heating element 240 / atomizer 212 and the first aerosol (i.e., their combination) are directed through the porous matrix formed by the aerosol-generating element 425, and the heated vapor passes therethrough, heating the constituent aerosol-generating element 425, for example, facilitating the elution (i.e., extraction of liquid, fluid, or particles, steam distillation, etc.) of a strengthening substance (i.e., flavorant or other additive) from the aerosol-generating element into the first aerosol, or promoting a strengthening substance that accompanies, is imparted to, reacts with, or interacts with the first aerosol.The interaction between the strengthening substance and the first aerosol may, for example, change or modify the first aerosol, mix the strengthening substance with the first aerosol to form a strengthened aerosol or aerosol mixture, or promote a reaction that produces a different aerosol. In such an example, the increased interstitial space within the aerosol generating element 425 may facilitate this interaction process via the second aerosol generating device 400.

[0095] In some embodiments, the beads / pellets may be due to the tobacco material cast onto the sheet / laminate paper. More specifically, the tobacco material may include, for example, a slurry containing reconstituted tobacco, glycerin, and a binder material. Such tobacco materials are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0186757 to Crooks, which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, the slurry may be incorporated into a granular inorganic material (i.e., calcium carbonate). For example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,678,013 to Crooks et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Cantrell, which are also incorporated herein by reference, the slurry is cast onto the paper element of the sheet laminate paper and the assembled cast sheet product is dried, for example, by applying heat (i.e., hot air, high frequency drying, etc.). The paper element may have, for example, a specific porosity and texture to promote adhesion and interaction with the slurry on the direct contact between the slurry and the sheet. However, the exemplary embodiments herein do not preclude casting the tobacco material onto a metal sheet or other suitable thin film heat conductor. Once such a laminate is cast, the dried cast sheet (i.e., sheet / paper / tobacco material) may be cut, shredded, or separated into a plurality of cast sheet part elements, each element preferably including a portion of the tobacco material (i.e., substrate) that interacts closely with the portion of the paper element, and the portion of the paper element adheres to the portion of the sheet element of the sheet laminate paper. The plurality of cast sheet part elements may be included in the aerosol generating element 425 that forms the second aerosol generating device 400.

[0096] In some environments, the cast sheet part elements included in the aerosol generating element 425 may cooperate to facilitate improved heat transfer to the tobacco material that forms parts of those cast sheet part elements or to adjacent elements. More specifically, in some examples, heat transfer from the heating element 240 to the tobacco material included in the aerosol generating element 425 may be restricted ahead of any direct interface therebetween, and the thermally conductive passageways form an additional mechanism for conducting heat from the heating element 240 that heats the aerosol generating element 425 and any external elements included in any aerosol generating element in contact therewith. In embodiments that include the cast sheet part elements included in the aerosol generating element 425, the thermally conductive parts of the sheet elements associated with the cast sheet part elements may form, for example, a plurality of additional thermally conductive passageways. That is, the cast sheet part elements used as all or part of the aerosol generating element 425 provide additional thermally conductive elements that are dispersed across the aerosol generating element 425 in the second aerosol generating device 400, thereby enhancing or improving heat transfer to and between the aerosol generating elements. To achieve such an embodiment, for example, it may be further advantageous to cut or process the substrate material implemented on the cast tobacco sheet substrate material that forms the substrate incorporated into a type of tobacco commercially available from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company under the trade name "Eclipse" as disclosed by U.S. Patent No. 5,469,871 to Barnes et al.

[0097] The pellets or other elements may have a smooth, regular external shape (e.g., spherical, cylindrical, oval, etc.) and / or an irregular external shape (e.g., cut fragments, flakes, etc.). The aerosol-generating element 425 may be wholly cylindrical, discontinuously, or incrementally within the second aerosol-generating device 400. In some examples, about 800 to 1200 wholly spherical beads may be collected, each having an average or nominal diameter of about 0.05 mm to 4 mm (e.g., in one example, about 1 cubic millimeter), and the beads / pellets have a cumulative weight of about 450 mg to 750 mg (e.g., within 25% of 600 mg in one example).

[0098] In one method of preparation, substantially spherical beads or pellets of the aerosol-generating element are formed by mixing the desired components in a first mixture, followed by extrusion of the components to form an extrudate. The extrudate is then processed in a spheronizer (e.g., a spheronizer available from Caleva Process Solutions Ltd or LCI Corporarion) to produce spheroids of various sizes that can be processed by a series of screens to provide a desired range of sizes, such as the sizes described above.

[0099] The aerosol-generating elements may be selected to have a relatively uniform average diameter, or a range of sizes of the aerosol-generating elements may be included in the second aerosol-generating device 400. If different size ranges are used in the same device, elements of various sizes may be arranged in a gradient or layer within the second aerosol-generating device 400, or elements of various sizes may be randomly mixed within the aerosol-generating device 400. Without being bound to any particular theory of operation, using aerosol-generating elements of different sizes in the same aerosol-generating device 400 can advantageously change the pressure drop within the device and / or provide advantageous functional characteristics based on the different evaporation rates provided by the elements of different sizes.

[0100] Sufficient beads are inserted into the second aerosol generating device 400, and it is preferred that the beads and / or other suitable elements provide at least about 95% of the maximum filling amount. It is advantageous that there is no large cavity within the aerosol generating device 400 that allows air to flow through the aerosol generating device to substantially avoid interaction with the aerosol generating element 425.

[0101] In some examples, aerosol generating elements 425 of multiple shapes may be selected (e.g., aerosol generating elements having different components), or each selected shape of aerosol generating element may subsequently be placed into the aerosol generating device 400. In other examples, aerosol generating elements of a selected shape may be combined to produce a mixture of aerosol generating elements before being placed into the second aerosol generating device 400, and then the mixture may be placed into the second aerosol generating device 400.

[0102] The nebulizer or first aerosol generating device 212 and the second aerosol generating device 400 may be physically separated from each other and / or may include discontinuous units or sections within the cartridge body 200. In some examples, as shown, those sections are positioned / arranged such that the downstream end of the nebulizer or first aerosol generating device 212 (towards the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200) is adjacent to the upstream end of the second aerosol generating device 400 (i.e., the back of the aerosol generating element 425). That is, the nebulizer or first aerosol generating device 212 and the second aerosol generating section 400 may be adjacent to each other and axially aligned in a continuous end-to-end relationship, in some examples. For example, in some examples, although physically discontinuous and disposed downstream from the nebulizer or first aerosol generating device 212, it may be desirable for the aerosol generating element 425 of the second aerosol generating device 400 to physically contact the heating element 240 at the downstream end of the nebulizer or first aerosol generating device 212. Alternatively, the respective ends of these sections 212, 400 or their components 240, 425 may be slightly spaced apart from each other so as not to physically contact each other (i.e., to prevent burning). Those skilled in the art will understand that, in some aspects, the second aerosol generating device 400 includes one or more sections or parts of the aerosol generating element 425.

[0103] In some examples, an additional section, spacer element or separating element (referred to herein as the "first separating element"), a spacer or a screen acting as such (see, for example, component 450 in FIG. 3) may be disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge body 200, and the first separating element 450 may physically separate these two components 212, 400 while, in some examples, maintaining the thermally conductive relationship therebetween. The first separating element 450 may be non-thermally conductive in some examples and non-conductive in other examples. That is, the first separating element 450 may be configured to conduct heat from the heating element 240 of the atomizer / first aerosol generating element 212 to the second aerosol generating device 400, but not necessarily so, and the aerosol generating element 425 may react well to heat and / or form a second aerosol in association with the first aerosol. Further, in some examples, the first separating element 450 may be configured to be gas-permeable or allow an air stream to pass therethrough, such that the first aerosol generated by the atomizer / first aerosol generating device 400 can travel downstream through the first separating element 450. Also, the first separating element 450 may be configured / arranged to hold the aerosol generating element 425 within the second aerosol generating device 400 and separate it from the atomizer / first aerosol generating device 212. In that further example, the first separating element 450 may be configured as a spacer (i.e., extending longitudinally along the cartridge body 200 to define a thickness) that separates the aerosol generating element 425 from the heating element 240 of the atomizer / first aerosol generating device 212, for example, to prevent the aerosol generating element (i.e., beads) 425 from burning or combusting due to heat from the heating element 240. Also, in some examples, the first separating element 450 may be configured as an insulator (i.e., non-conductive) to prevent the heating element 240 from short-circuiting if there is contact therewith.

[0104] Typically, the first separation element 450 is generally cylindrical or disc-shaped, of an integrated structure, and air-permeable to allow passage of the aspirated air therethrough. The first separation element 450 may be essentially thermally conductive, such that heat generated by the heating element 240 can be quickly transferred to the second aerosol-generating device 400. The length (thickness) of the first separation element 450 is variable and typically extends from less than about 1 mm to about 10 mm. In some examples, the relative longitudinal placement of the first separation element 450 within the external body 216 spaces the interface between the aerosol-generating element 425 and the first separation element 450 from the heating element 240 between about 1 mm and about 20 mm (i.e., 7 mm in one example). Typically, the first separation element 450 is made of a heat-resistant material such as porous ceramic, porous graphite material, metal (i.e., stainless steel, brass, copper, etc.), mesh or screen, high-temperature heat-resistant plastic, etc. In some examples, the first separation element 450 may include longitudinally extending air flow paths formed, for example, during design / manufacture, drilled, or molded, extruded, printed (i.e., 3D printed elements using a 3D printer), or formed in a spacer element during manufacture. If desired, the first separation element 450 may incorporate a catalytic material such as a material incorporating cerium, or copper ions, or oxides, and / or salts of cerium and copper ions. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,469,035 and 8,617,263 to Benerjee et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215168 to Benerjee et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0105] In an example where the aerosol generating element 425 may be surrounded by an insulating layer, a layer of a thermally conductive material (e.g., a layer or strip made of a thin metal sheet) may be provided therebetween (not shown). That is, a representative aerosol generating element 425 may include a plurality of pellets and / or other suitable components that may be surrounded along its length by a layer of strips of thin metal sheets. A representative thin metal sheet is, for example, an aluminum thin sheet having a thickness of about 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm. The thin metal sheet preferably extends along the entire length of the outer coaxial surface of the aerosol generating element 425, and it may be preferred that the thin metal sheet extends beyond (i.e., at least partially overlaps) the first separation element 450. The thermally conductive material may be provided by means other than using a thin metal sheet. For example, the layer of thin metal sheets may be replaced by a metal mesh or a metal screen. Alternatively, the thin metal sheet may be replaced by a thermally conductive cloth such as a layer or sheet of carbon fiber or thermally conductive ceramic fiber. Alternatively, the thermally conductive material may be provided by application of a thermally conductive ink, such as a coating of an ink or paint incorporating metal particles, carbon fibers, thermally conductive ceramic materials, etc.

[0106] FIG. 7 shows an example of a further embodiment of a second aerosol generating device 400 disposed in an external body or tubular member 216 (downstream of the first aerosol generating device 212, not shown). As shown, the aerosol generating element 425 is disposed between separation elements 450 and 475, thereby serving to hold the aerosol generating element 425 in a fixed position and allow air flow therethrough. As described above, the separation elements 450 and 475 may be porous elements (e.g., a mesh screen or a perforated metal plate) having a hole size selected to hold the aerosol generating element 425 within the second aerosol generating device 400.

[0107] As shown in the illustration, the second aerosol generation device 400 may further include another aerosol generation element housing 460 in the shape of a cylindrical housing, for example, having an open end facing the mouthpiece 220. The mouthpiece 220 may engage with the open end of the cylindrical housing as shown in the illustration and may be fixed thereto by press-fit engagement or other known means. The housing 460 may include an end portion 470 facing the mouthpiece 220. As shown in the illustration, the mouthpiece 220 may be perforated to allow air flow to pass through it. The housing 460 may be made of any suitable material including metal (e.g., stainless steel) or plastic. The separation elements 450 and 475 may be press-fit engaged or engaged with the housing 460. The separation element 475 close to the mouthpiece 220 may be fixed to the mouthpiece if desired. In some embodiments, the separation elements 450 and 475 are incorporated into the housing 460 during the molding process forming the housing. The design of FIG. 7 is particularly suitable for embodiments of the present invention, and the second aerosol generation device 400 is made to be permanently fixed rather than detachable or disposable separately from other parts of the cartridge body 200.

[0108] Alternatively, in an embodiment where the second aerosol generating device 400 is made detachable from the cartridge body 200 as a separate unit, the design of FIG. 8 is advantageous. As shown in the figure, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the second aerosol generating device 400 is formed as a separate unit with a separate housing body 520 and is attached to the first connector 540 (e.g., via crimping or other means). Both the housing 520 and the first connector 540 together form a cavity for the aerosol generating element 425. As in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the aerosol generating element 425 is disposed between the separating elements 450 and 475, thereby serving to hold the aerosol generating element 425 in place and allow air flow to pass through it. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 7, the separating elements 450 and 475 may be press-fitted together or engaged with the respective surrounding portions of the first connector 540 or the housing body 520 and incorporated into these surrounding portions during molding. The downstream separating element 475 may also be optionally fixed to the mouthpiece 220.

[0109] The first connector 540 of the second aerosol generating device 400 is adapted to engage with a second connector 560 that is fixed (e.g., via press-fit engagement or other means) to an external body or tubular member 216 that houses the first aerosol generating device 212 (not shown). The second connector 560 has an end facing the first connector 540 such that the user can detachably fix the second aerosol generating device 400 to the cartridge body 200 via a screwing engagement or other coupling means. As shown in the figure, the second connector 560 is porous and allows air flow from the first aerosol generating device 212 to flow into the second aerosol generating device 400. The second aerosol generating device 400 of this embodiment engages cooperatively with the mouthpiece 220 in a manner similar to FIG. 7.

[0110] In some embodiments, other spacer elements, or other separating elements (referred to herein as "second separating elements"), elements that act as spacers or screens (see, e.g., component 475 in FIG. 3) may be disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge body 200, and the second separating element 475 may physically separate the second aerosol-generating device 400 from the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200. That is, the second separating element 475 may be thermally conductive and / or configured to conduct heat from the second aerosol-generating device 400 through the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200, but not necessarily so. However, the second separating element 475 may be configured to be gas permeable or to allow an airflow therethrough, such that the first aerosol generated by the atomizer / first aerosol-generating device 212 and / or the second aerosol generated by the second aerosol-generating device 400 can travel downstream through the second separating element 475 and through the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200. Thus, the second separating element 475 may also be configured and / or arranged to maintain the aerosol-generating element 425 within the second aerosol-generating device 400 without loss of any aerosol-generating elements passing through the mouthpiece or mouth engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200.

[0111] In one aspect, instead of the discontinuous first and second separation elements 450 and 475 implemented in addition to the aerosol generation element 425, the second aerosol generation device 400 may comprise a cartridge 500 having an elongated tubular body 525 and opposing end members 550, 575 (see, for example, FIG. 4), each of the end members 550, 575 being thermally conductive and air permeable in a similar manner to the first and second separation elements 450, 475. Thus, the elongated tubular body 525 may be further configured to receive the aerosol generation element 425 and, in cooperation with the opposing end members 550, 575, hold the aerosol generation element 425 within the tubular body. Thus, the assembled cartridge 500 may be configured to be received as a unit (forming the second aerosol generation device 400) by the outer body of the cartridge body 200, i.e., the tubular member 216.

[0112] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the housing body 520 houses a plurality of stackable containers 580a, 580b, 580c, each container housing an aerosol generation element 425. Each container, such as 580a, may include a different aerosol generation element 425 that provides a different sensory experience. Thus, in order to vary the sensory experience of the aerosol delivery system 100, the user can stack a plurality of different types of containers in any desired order. Each individual container 580a, 580b, 580c may have a similar structure, such as the general structure shown in FIG. 4, in which the aerosol generation element 425 is housed in a porous-walled container that allows a gas flow to pass therethrough. The number of stackable containers used is variable and is not limited to the illustrated embodiment of three containers. An exemplary range for the total number of stackable containers is from two to about eight (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight containers arranged in a stacked configuration).

[0113] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which a stackable container 580a as illustrated in FIG. 9 has an internal wall that divides an internal compartment into a plurality of wedge-shaped compartments such that different aerosol generating elements 425 (e.g., 425a, 425b, 425c, and 425d) can be disposed in separate compartments within the same container. The cross-sectional shape of each subdivided compartment need not be wedge-shaped. Additional non-limiting examples of compartment shapes include concentric circles, triangles, or quadrilaterals. The number and size of the subdivided compartments are variable and not limited to the illustrated embodiment of four compartments. An exemplary range for the total number of compartments is from two to about six (e.g., two, three, four, five, or six compartments). The use of an internal wall to divide a compartment into a plurality of compartments that house aerosol generating elements 425 is not limited to the stackable container embodiment of FIG. 9. For example, the single compartment described in FIG. 8 may also be subdivided in this manner.

[0114] In use, the mouthpiece or mouth-engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200 of the aerosol delivery system 100 is inserted into the user's mouth. The nebulizer / first aerosol generating device 212 is actuated, for example, by the user's suction (e.g., inhalation) at the mouthpiece or mouth-engagement end 220 of the cartridge body 200. The heating element 240 and the liquid transport element 238 are configured to be in a heat exchange relationship. That is, the heat generated by the heating element 240 acts to heat the aerosol precursor composition transported by the liquid transport element 238 to generate the first aerosol. The heat generated by the heating element 240 and the first aerosol engage with the second aerosol generating device 400 and are drawn through the second aerosol generating device 400 (i.e., through the aerosol generating element 425) toward the inhalation aperture defined by the mouthpiece or mouth-engagement end 220. In some examples, the heat from the heating element 240 may interact with the aerosol generating element 425 to generate a second aerosol. The second aerosol may interact or mix with the first aerosol to form a third aerosol, which is the aerosol delivered to the user through the mouthpiece 220 in response to the suction applied by the user. In some examples, the interaction between the heat and / or the first aerosol and the aerosol generating element 425 may result in a strengthening substance being imparted to the first aerosol to generate a fortified aerosol. For example, a drug adsorbed to the aerosol generating element 425 may react with the first aerosol and / or heat, or may desorb from the aerosol generating element 425 by the first aerosol and / or heat and combine with the first aerosol to form a fortified aerosol. In yet other examples, the aerosol generating element 425 may be configured such that its interaction with the first aerosol draws heat away from the first aerosol (i.e., cools the first aerosol). When properly implemented by the user, at least a first aerosol is generated by the nebulizer 212 and is affected by the second aerosol generating device 400 and is drawn into the user's mouth.

[0115] The components within the second aerosol generating device 400 and / or the aerosol generating element 425 are variable. Generally, the second aerosol generating device 400 and / or the aerosol generating element 425 may incorporate components that evaporate, aerosolize, or entrain into the air drawn through the aerosol delivery system 100 during use. Most preferably, these components, either by themselves or in cooperation with the first aerosol generated by the first aerosol generating device 212, provide sensory and organoleptic effects such as aroma, flavor, taste, and a visible aerosol sensation. Examples of components of the first and / or second aerosol generating devices 212, 400 that are drawn into the user's mouth during inhalation include water (e.g., as water vapor), visible or invisible aerosol-forming materials (e.g., glycerin), various volatile flavors (e.g., vanilla and menthol), volatile components of tobacco (e.g., nicotine), and the like.

[0116] Preferred aerosol generating materials generate an aerosol (visible or invisible) by applying sufficient heat thereto or via the action of the aerosol-forming state using components of the aerosol delivery system. Preferred aerosol generating materials generate a visible aerosol that may be considered "smoky". Preferred aerosol generating materials are less expensive compared to the chemical properties of the smoke generated by combusted tobacco. Preferred visible aerosol-forming materials are polyols, and exemplary preferred aerosol-forming materials include glycerin, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof. If desired, the aerosol-forming materials may be combined with other liquid materials such as water. For example, the aerosol-forming material formation may incorporate a mixture of glycerin and water or a mixture of propylene glycol and water. For example, see the various aerosol-forming materials referenced in U.S. Patent No. 8,678,013 to Crooks et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0117] The aerosol-forming material is retained or supported by a substrate material to hold the aerosol material within the desired area of the smoking article. Exemplary substrate materials and exemplary formations incorporating the aerosol-forming material are described in and incorporated herein by reference in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, U.S. Patent No. 4,893,639 to White, U.S. Patent No. 5,099,861 to Clearman, U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob, U.S. Patent No. 5,105,836 to Gentry, U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley, U.S. Patent No. 5,203,335 to Clearman, U.S. Patent No. 5,271,419 to Arzonico, U.S. Patent No. 5,327,917 to Lekwauwa, U.S. Patent No. 5,396,911 to Casey III, U.S. Patent No. 5,533,530 to Young, U.S. Patent No. 5,588,446 to Clearman, U.S. Patent No. 5,598,868 to Jakob, U.S. Patent No. 5,715,844 to Young, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0066986 to Nestor. Also, see Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototype that Heat instead of Burn Tabacco, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988). Exemplary substrate materials have been incorporated into commercially available types of tobacco formerly sold by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company under the trade names "Premier" and "Eclipse".

[0118] In some examples, the aerosol delivery system, described with reference to FIG. 1, may be used in much the same way as commercially available electronic cigarettes. As a result, upon smoking, the preferred aerosol delivery system 100 of the type disclosed herein can produce a visible mainstream aerosol primarily resulting from the volatilized components of the first and second aerosol-generating devices 212, 400, and that visible aerosol is similar in many respects to the mainstream tobacco smoke of a traditional type of tobacco that burns tobacco in puffs.

[0119] In other examples, substantially the entire cartridge body 200 may be formed from one or more carbon materials (see, e.g., FIG. 5), providing advantages over other cartridge body configurations disclosed herein in terms of biodegradability and being wire-free. In this regard, the heating element may include a carbon form, the reservoir may include a carbonized fabric, and graphite may be employed to form an electrical connection with the battery and the controller. Examples of carbon-based cartridge bodies are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 to Davis or No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In some examples, the incorporation of the second aerosol generating device disclosed herein may also be applied to such carbon-based cartridge bodies. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a portion 625 of the cartridge element 600 disposed in the mouthpiece direction of the cartridge body (see, e.g., FIG. 6A) may be configured or modified to receive one or more of the aerosol generating elements 425 of the type disclosed herein (see, e.g., FIG. 6B). Alternatively, a pre-assembled cartridge including such an aerosol generating element 425 may be implemented, or otherwise, as disclosed herein, the cartridge element 600 and / or the external body receiving the cartridge element 600 may be configured to receive first and second separating elements having the aerosol generating element therebetween.

[0120] Those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings, will envision many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, those skilled in the art will understand that, within the scope of the claims, embodiments not explicitly described herein may be practiced within the scope of the present disclosure, and that the features described herein for one embodiment may be incorporated with each other and / or with known or future-developed technologies. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that equivalents, modifications, and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claim 1 An aerosol delivery system comprising a first elongated tubular member having opposing ends and a control body portion including a power source disposed therein, a cartridge body portion including a second tubular member having opposing first and second ends, the first end of which engages with one of the opposing ends of the control body portion, the cartridge body portion further comprising a first aerosol generating device disposed within the second tubular member, configured such that engagement between one of the opposing ends of the control body portion and the first end of the cartridge body portion operably engages the power source, and the second end of the cartridge body portion facing the mouth engagement end of the aerosol delivery system; a second aerosol generating device disposed between the first aerosol generating device of the aerosol delivery system and the mouth engagement end and removably engaging the cartridge body portion, the second aerosol generating device comprising a housing defining a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to engage the second end of the cartridge body portion, a first separating element, a second separating element, a mouthpiece disposed adjacent to and fixed to the second end of the housing, and at least one aerosol generating element between the first and second separating elements, the mouthpiece defining the mouth engagement end of the aerosol delivery system, the first separating element being porous and press-fitted or engaged with the first end of the housing, and the second separating element being press-fitted or engaged with the housing closest to the mouthpiece; comprising wherein the first aerosol generating device includes a heating element configured to provide heat for generating a first aerosol, and the at least one aerosol generating element of the second aerosol generating device is arranged to interact with the first aerosol as the first aerosol is drawn through the second aerosol generating device towards the mouthpiece in response to suction applied to the mouthpiece. **Claim 2**: The aerosol delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one aerosol generating element is configured as at least one bead or pellet in the form of an extruded material comprising a particulate material selected from tobacco material and filler, at least one aerosol forming material, and at least one binder. **Claim 3** The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the first aerosol generating device comprises a liquid container disposed within the second tubular member and is configured to receive an aerosol precursor substance used by the first aerosol generating device to generate a first aerosol. **Claim 4** The aerosol delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the aerosol precursor substance is any one of glycerin, propylene glycol, water, physiological saline, nicotine, organic acids, and combinations thereof. **Claim 5** The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one aerosol generating element further comprises one or more of particulate tobacco, tobacco extract, and nicotine, and the nicotine is in a free base form, salt form, complex form, or solvated form. **Claim 6** The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one aerosol generating element further comprises one or more flavorants. **Claim 7** The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the housing of the second aerosol generating device comprises a plurality of stackable and gas-permeable containers within the housing, and the at least one aerosol generating element is configured as the plurality of aerosol generating elements, each container being arranged to receive a portion of the plurality of aerosol generating elements. **Claim 8** The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the housing of the second aerosol generating device defines an internal compartment and comprises one or more inner walls that divide the internal compartment into a plurality of sub-compartments. **Claim 9**: The aerosol delivery system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one aerosol generating element is configured as a plurality of aerosol generating elements, and each of the sub-compartments receives a portion of the plurality of aerosol generating elements. **Claim 10** The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first separation element and the second separation element are independently configured as a mesh screen or a perforated metal plate.

11. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the housing of the second aerosol generating device is constructed from plastic.

12. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first separation element is molded into the housing.

13. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the at least one aerosol generating element is selected from the group consisting of granules, pellets, beads, small discontinuous units, carbon pieces, extruded carbon pieces, ceramic beads, melaminated tobacco pieces, extruded or compressed cylindrical or spherical elements, comminuted tobacco flakes, fillers, flavors, visible aerosol forming materials, binders, ovoid elements, irregularly shaped elements, shreds, flakes, tobacco-containing elements, visible aerosol forming material-containing elements, adsorbent substances, absorbent substances, capsules, microcapsules, honeycomb monoliths, single porous structures, and combinations thereof.

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