Aerosol Delivery System

Abstract

The aerosol delivery system (1) comprises a first portion (4) including a reservoir (44) for storing an aerosolizable material and a sensor (70) for detecting the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir (44). The sensor is configured to output sensor information related to the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir (44). The aerosol delivery system (1) further comprises a vaporizer (48) for vaporizing the aerosolizable material and a second consumable portion (8) disposed downstream of the vaporizer (48) for holding a fragrance material (84). The aerosol delivery system (1) is configured to process the sensor information to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir (44) and to generate a signal to replace the second consumable portion (8) when it is determined that the amount of aerosolizable material has reached or fallen below a predetermined amount.

Description

Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as nicotine delivery systems (e.g., electronic cigarettes, etc.).

[0002] Aerosol delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), generally include an aerosol precursor / aerosolizable material, such as a reservoir of a feedstock fluid or liquid containing a formulation (typically containing nicotine) or a solid material, such as a tobacco-based product, from which an aerosol / vapor is generated, for example, by thermal vaporization. Thus, an aerosol source for an aerosol delivery system may include a vaporizer, e.g., a heating element, positioned to vaporize a portion of the aerosolizable material. When a user draws on the device and power is supplied to the vaporizer, air is drawn into the device through the inlet hole and enters the vapor-generating chamber, where it mixes with the vaporized aerosolizable material to form a condensation aerosol. Such devices typically include one or more air inlet holes located away from the mouthpiece end of the system. When a user draws on a mouthpiece connected to the mouthpiece end of the system, air is drawn through the inlet hole and passes through the aerosol source. A flow path connects the aerosol source and the mouthpiece opening, such that air drawn through the aerosol source subsequently travels along the flow path to the mouthpiece opening, carrying a portion of the aerosol from the aerosol source, and the aerosol-carrying air exits the aerosol delivery system through the mouthpiece opening for inhalation by a user.

[0003] Some aerosol delivery systems may also include a flavoring element in the flow path through the system to provide additional flavoring or to modify the aerosol. Such systems are sometimes referred to as hybrid systems, and the flavoring element may include, for example, a portion of tobacco positioned in the air passage between the vapor-generating chamber and the mouthpiece, so that the vapor / condensation aerosol drawn through the device passes through that portion of tobacco before exiting the mouthpiece for the user to inhale. In such hybrid devices, two components are typically consumed during use: an aerosol precursor / aerosolizable material and a flavoring element. These components may typically be consumed at different rates, which may increase the complexity for the user in maintaining the aerosol delivery system in a state that delivers the desired aerosol to the user.

[0004] Within such aerosol delivery systems, mechanisms already exist for estimating consumption of aerosolizable material / aerosol precursor material, which rely on monitoring the energy and / or time for which the heating element of the aerosol delivery system is activated. In that regard, the longer the heating element is activated, the more aerosolizable material is used / vaporized. However, the above mechanisms inherently involve some kind of estimation, which can conceptually introduce an element of imprecision in knowing the amount of aerosolizable material actually consumed by the system during its use.

[0005] Various techniques are described that help address some of these challenges and involve detecting the amount of aerosolizable material remaining in an aerosol delivery system that has not yet been consumed to more accurately establish the amount of aerosolizable material remaining.

[0006] According to a first aspect of a particular embodiment, a first portion comprising a reservoir for storing an aerosolizable material; a sensor for detecting a level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir of the first portion, the sensor configured to output sensor information related to the level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir; a vaporizer disposed downstream of the reservoir for vaporizing the aerosolizable material; a second consumable portion disposed downstream of the vaporizer for holding a scenting material; a control circuit configured to process sensor information from the sensor to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir and configured to generate a signal when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a predetermined amount; Equipped with An aerosol delivery system is provided in which the signal is an instruction to replace the second consumable part.

[0007] According to a second aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided a method of generating a signal for use with an aerosol delivery system configured to generate vapor from an aerosolizable material using a vaporizer, the method comprising: detecting a level of aerosolizable material in a reservoir of a first portion of the aerosol delivery system using a sensor; outputting sensor information from the sensor to control circuitry of the aerosol delivery system, the sensor information relating to a level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir; processing the sensor information with control circuitry to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir; generating a signal in the control circuit when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to reach or fall below a predetermined amount; Including, A method is provided in which the signal is an instruction to replace a second consumable portion for holding a fragrance material from the aerosol delivery system, the second consumable portion being positioned downstream of the vaporizer and configured to receive vapor produced by the vaporizer.

[0008] It will be appreciated that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to the other aspects of the invention and may be combined therewith as appropriate, without being limited to the specific combinations set out above.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery system including a reusable portion, a first portion comprising an aerosolizable material, a second portion for holding a scenting material, and a sensor, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery system according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, including a reusable portion, a first portion comprising an aerosolizable material, a second portion for holding a scenting material, and a plurality of sensors. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery system including a reusable portion, a first portion comprising an aerosolizable material, a second portion for holding a scenting material, and a sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 4 is a method for implementing the aerosol delivery system of FIGS. 1-3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0011] Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments may be conventionally implemented and, for the sake of brevity, will not be discussed / described in detail. Thus, it will be recognized that aspects and features of the devices and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail can be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0012] As noted above, the present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as e-cigarettes, including hybrid devices. While the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used throughout the following description, it should be recognized that these terms can be used interchangeably with vapor delivery systems / devices and electronic vapor delivery systems / devices. Furthermore, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol," as well as related terms such as "vaporize," "volatilize," and "aerosolize," can generally be used interchangeably.

[0013] Vapor delivery systems often, but not always, comprise modular assemblies that include both reusable and replaceable (disposable) consumable parts. Often, the replaceable part comprises the aerosol precursor material (also referred to as aerosolizable material) and the vaporizer, while the reusable part comprises the power source (e.g., a rechargeable battery), the activation mechanism (e.g., a button or puff sensor), and the control circuitry. However, it will be appreciated that these various parts may also comprise additional elements depending on their function. For example, in a hybrid device, the cartridge part may also comprise an additional aerosol-modifying element / aerosol flavoring material, such as a portion of tobacco, provided as a second part or "pod." In such cases, the element insert or flavoring material is itself removable from the first, disposable cartridge part, and thus may be replaced separately from the first cartridge part, for example, to change flavorings or because the usable life of the element insert is shorter than the usable life of the vapor-generating component of the first cartridge part. Reusable device portions also often include additional components such as a user interface for receiving user input and displaying operational status characteristics.

[0014] In a modular device, the consumable portion and control unit are mechanically (and sometimes electrically) coupled together for use, for example, using screws, latches, or bayonet fastenings to appropriately engage electrical contacts. When the aerosolizable material in the cartridge is used up, or when the user wants to change to a different cartridge having a different aerosolizable material, the cartridge can be removed from the control unit and a replacement cartridge installed in its place. Devices following this type of two-part modular configuration are sometimes commonly referred to as two-part or multi-part devices.

[0015] Generally elongated shapes are relatively common for electronic cigarettes, including multi-part devices, and for purposes of illustration, the specific embodiments of the present disclosure described herein comprise a generally elongated multi-part device that uses a disposable cartridge with a tobacco pod insert. However, it will be understood that the basic principles described herein can be similarly incorporated into different electronic cigarette configurations, such as single-piece or modular devices comprising three or more parts, refillable and single-use disposable devices, non-hybrid devices without additional flavoring components, and devices conforming to other overall shapes, such as devices based on typically more box-like, so-called box-mod, high-performance devices. More generally, it will be understood that specific embodiments of the present disclosure are based on electronic cigarettes configured to provide operating functions in accordance with the principles described herein, and that the specific structural aspects of the electronic cigarettes configured to provide the described operating functions are not of primary importance.

[0016] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 comprises two main components: a reusable part 2 (also referred to as a device part or an aerosol delivery device) and a replaceable / disposable consumable part.

[0017] The reusable portion 2 comprises components intended to have a longer lifespan than the consumable portion, i.e., the reusable portion 2 is intended to be used sequentially with multiple consumable portions, which comprise components that are consumed in forming the aerosol that is delivered to a user during use of the aerosol delivery system 1.

[0018] 1 , the replaceable / disposable consumable part is formed from a cartridge 4, more generally forming the first part, and a removable pod 8, more generally forming the second part 8. As explained in more detail below, the first part / cartridge 4 comprises a reservoir for storing an aerosol precursor / aerosolizable material, which may be a fluid that vaporizes to form an aerosol, and more particularly may be a liquid aerosol precursor such as e-liquid (also referred to as feedstock liquid), while the second part / removable pod 8 includes a tobacco portion or tobacco-based product (hereinafter referred to as tobacco material 84) arranged to modify the aerosol generated from the e-liquid in the first part 4 (particularly, in the exemplary configuration of FIG. 1 , the aerosol generated from the e-liquid is drawn through the removable pod 8 to impart flavoring and / or nicotine to the aerosol). In other words, the aerosol delivered to the user is generated through the consumable portion by first vaporizing the aerosol-generating material to generate the aerosol, and then passing the generated aerosol through the tobacco pod 8 to modify the aerosol; in this case, it is the modified aerosol that is delivered to the user. As a specific example, the removable pod 8 is described as including a tobacco material 84, but it should be recognized that the removable pod 8 may include other materials that modify the properties or composition of the aerosol (also referred to herein as aerosol-modifying materials or aerosol flavoring materials), such as other plant-based materials or liquid-soaked matrices. However, as a specific example, the removable pod 8 described herein includes a tobacco material 84 and may also be referred to as a tobacco pod 8.

[0019] In normal use, the reusable portion 2 and the cartridge / first portion 4 are removably coupled to one another at a first interface 6. When the e-liquid in the cartridge 4 is used up, or when the user simply wants to switch to a different cartridge 4, the cartridge 4 can be removed from the reusable portion 2 and a replacement cartridge 4 can be attached to the reusable portion 2 instead. The interface 6 provides structural, electrical, and airway connections between the reusable portion 2 and the cartridge 4 and can be established in accordance with conventional techniques, for example, based on screws, latching mechanisms, or bayonet fastenings, optionally using appropriately positioned electrical contacts and openings to connect the electrical and airway connections between the two portions. The particular manner in which the cartridge 4 is mechanically attached to the reusable portion 2 is not critical to the principles described herein. It will also be recognized that the interface 6 in some embodiments may not accommodate an electrical connection between the cartridge 4 and the reusable portion 2. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporizer may be located in the reusable part 2 rather than in the cartridge 4, or the transmission of power from the reusable part 2 to the cartridge 4 may be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction), such that no electrical connection between the reusable part 2 and the cartridge 4 is required.

[0020] Similarly, in normal use, the cartridge / first portion 4 and the tobacco pod / second portion 8 are removably coupled to one another at the second interface 7. The second interface 7 is at an end of the cartridge 4 generally opposite the first interface 6. Like the cartridge / first portion 4, the tobacco pod / second portion 8 can be replaced, for example, when the tobacco material no longer contributes flavor or nicotine to the aerosol generated from the cartridge 4. By providing the tobacco pod 8 to be removably coupled to the cartridge 4, the tobacco pod 8 can be replaced independently of the cartridge 4. In this example, the interface 7 provides a structural and airway connection between the cartridge 4 and the tobacco pod 8. Any suitable coupling mechanism, such as any of those described above, can be used to couple the tobacco pod 8 to the cartridge 4.

[0021] In Figure 1, the first cartridge part 4 comprises a cartridge housing 42 formed from a plastic material. The cartridge housing 42 supports the other components of the cartridge and provides a mechanical interface 6 with the reusable part 2. The cartridge housing 42 is generally circularly symmetrical about the longitudinal axis along which the cartridge 4 attaches to the reusable part 2. In this example, the cartridge 4 is about 4 cm in length and about 1.5 cm in diameter. However, it will be understood that the particular shape, and more generally the overall shape and materials used, may vary in different embodiments.

[0022] In the illustrated example, cartridge housing 42 contains reservoir 44 containing a liquid aerosol precursor. The liquid aerosol precursor may be conventional and may also be referred to as e-liquid. The source liquid may include nicotine and / or other active ingredients and / or one or more flavorings. As used herein, the terms "flavoring" and "flavoring" refer to materials that can be used (where permitted by local regulations) to produce a desired taste or aroma in products for adult consumers. In some embodiments, the source liquid may be nicotine-free. It should also be appreciated that while cartridge 4 described above includes a liquid aerosol precursor, in other embodiments, the aerosol precursor may be a solid or gel.

[0023] The liquid reservoir 44 in this example has an annular shape with an outer wall defined by the cartridge housing 42 and an inner wall that defines an air passageway 52 through the cartridge 4. The reservoir 44 is closed at each end with end walls 44A, 44B to contain the liquid feedstock. The reservoir 44 may be formed according to conventional techniques and may, for example, comprise a plastic material and be integrally molded with the cartridge housing 42.

[0024] The cartridge 4 further includes a vaporizer 48 configured to vaporize the liquid source and positioned downstream of the reservoir 44. The vaporizer in the example of FIG. 1 includes a heater 48 in combination with a wick 46 positioned toward the end of the reservoir 44. In this example, the wick 46 extends across the cartridge air passageway 52, with its end extending into the e-liquid reservoir 44 through an opening in the interior wall of the reservoir 44. The opening in the interior wall of the reservoir is sized to approximately fit the dimensions of the wick 46 to provide a reasonable seal against leakage from the liquid reservoir to the cartridge air passageway without excessive compression of the wick, which could be detrimental to fluid transfer performance.

[0025] The wick 46 and heater 48 are disposed in the cartridge air passage 52, such that the area of the cartridge air passage 52 around the wick 46 and heater 48 effectively defines the vaporization region of the cartridge 4. E-liquid in the reservoir 44 penetrates the wick 46 through the end of the wick that extends into the reservoir 44 and is drawn along the wick by surface tension / capillary action (i.e., wicking). The heater 48 in this example comprises an electrical resistance wire wrapped around the wick 46. In use, power is supplied to the heater 48 to vaporize a quantity of e-liquid drawn by the wick 46 into the vicinity of the heater 48 (vapor precursor). In this example, the heater 48 comprises a nickel-chromium alloy (Cr20Ni80) wire and the wick 46 includes a glass fiber bundle, although it will be recognized that the particular vaporizer configuration is not critical to the principles described herein. Indeed, in other embodiments, alternative vaporizers (e.g., vibrating mesh, LED heater, etc.) may be used within first portion / cartridge 4. The particular type of vaporizer is selected based on several criteria, including the type of aerosol precursor being vaporized. A cartridge containing a vaporizer is sometimes referred to as a "cartomizer."

[0026] The rate at which e-liquid is vaporized by the vaporizer (heater) 48 depends on the amount (level) of power supplied to the heater 48 during use. Thus, power can be supplied to the heater 48 to selectively produce vapor from the e-liquid in the first portion / cartridge 4, and further, the rate of vapor production can be varied by varying the amount of power supplied to the heater 48, for example, by pulse width and / or frequency modulation techniques.

[0027] The tobacco pad / second portion 8 in this example is coupled to the end of the first portion / cartridge 4 opposite the interface 6 and is effectively positioned downstream of the vaporizer 48. The tobacco pod 8 comprises a pod housing 82 and a tobacco material 84 contained within the pod housing 82. The tobacco pod housing 82 is formed from a plastic material. Although not shown, the cartridge 4 may include a recessed feature in the interface 7 into which a portion of the tobacco pod 8 is inserted and held by a friction fit, or alternatively, the tobacco pod housing 82 may include an engagement feature for coupling to the cartridge 4 via the interface 7 (and the cartridge 4, in turn, includes a corresponding engagement feature for coupling to the tobacco pod housing 82). It should be appreciated that the tobacco pod 8 is directly coupled to the cartridge 4 but is indirectly coupled to the reusable portion 2 via the cartridge 4.

[0028] The housing 82 is formed to define an interior volume capable of containing tobacco material 84. The housing 82 includes an inlet 86 in a wall of the housing 82 that is in fluid communication with the air passage 52 of the cartridge 4 when the tobacco pod 8 is coupled to the cartridge 4 via the interface 7, and an outlet 50 located opposite the inlet 86. Air (entrained with vaporized liquid feedstock) flowing along the air passage 52 enters the interior volume of the tobacco pod 8 and interacts with the tobacco material 84. As described above, the tobacco material 84 can impart some flavoring and / or nicotine to the aerosol entering through the inlet 86, subsequently modifying the aerosol's components. The modified aerosol is delivered to the user through the outlet 50. During use, the user can place their lips around or adjacent to the outlet 86 and draw air through the outlet 50; therefore, the outlet 50 is sometimes referred to as a mouthpiece outlet 50. The shape and dimensions of the tobacco pod 8 are such that the housing 82 is approximately flush with the housing 42 when the tobacco pod 8 and cartridge 4 are engaged. In some embodiments, the housing 82 of the tobacco pod 8 is shaped to ergonomically fit the mouth of a typical user, although in other embodiments, a separate tipping element may be provided that couples to the tobacco pod 8 and / or cartridge 4.

[0029] The reusable part 2 comprises an outer housing 12 having an opening defining an air inlet 28 for the aerosol delivery system 1, a battery 26 for providing operating power to the aerosol delivery system 1, a controller (sometimes referred to as a control circuit) 20 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1, a first user input button 14, and a second user input button 24. The reusable part 2 further includes an inhalation sensor (puff detector) 16, which in this example comprises a pressure sensor disposed within a pressure sensor chamber 18. However, in other embodiments, a pressure sensor may be present but the pressure sensor chamber 18 may not be present.

[0030] The outer housing 12 may be formed, for example, from a plastic or metal material and, in this example, has a circular cross-section that generally matches the shape and size of the cartridge 4 so as to provide a smooth transition between the two portions at the interface 6. In this example, the reusable portion has a length of approximately 8 cm, such that the overall length of the e-cigarette when the cartridge and reusable portions are joined together is approximately 12 cm. However, as previously stated, it will be understood that the overall shape and size of an electronic cigarette embodying an embodiment of the present disclosure is not critical to the principles described herein.

[0031] The air inlet 28 connects to an air passageway 30 through the reusable part 2. When the reusable part 2 and cartridge 4 are connected together, the reusable part's air passageway 30 connects across the interface 6 to the cartridge's air passageway 52. The pressure sensor chamber 18, which contains the pressure sensor 16, is in fluid communication with the reusable part's air passageway 30 (i.e., the pressure sensor chamber 18 branches off from the reusable part's air passageway 30). Thus, when a user draws on the mouthpiece opening 50, the pressure in the pressure sensor chamber 18 drops, which can be detected by the pressure sensor 16, and air is drawn through the air inlet 28, along the reusable part's air passageway 30, across the interface 6, through the vapor-generating region near the heater 48 (where vaporized e-liquid is entrained in the airflow when the heater is activated), along the cartridge's air passageway 52, and out through the mouthpiece opening 50 to be inhaled by the user.

[0032] The battery 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, such as the type typically used in aerosol delivery systems and other applications requiring the delivery of relatively high current for relatively short periods of time. The battery 26 may be rechargeable through a charging connector, such as a USB connector, on the reusable portion housing 12. The battery 26 may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

[0033] The user input button 14 in this example is a mechanical button, e.g., having a spring-mounted component that can be depressed by a user to establish electrical contact. In this regard, the input button 14 can be considered to provide a manual input mechanism for the reusable part 2, although the particular manner in which the button is implemented is not critical. For example, different forms of mechanical buttons or touch-sensitive buttons (e.g., based on capacitive or optical sensing technology) can be used in other implementations. The particular manner in which the button is implemented can be selected based on, for example, a desired aesthetic appearance.

[0034] The user input button 14 in the example of FIG. 1 provides the ability to turn the device on and off. When in the on state, power from the battery 26 is supplied to the control circuit 20 and any other components of the reusable portion 2 as needed, but aerosol generation does not occur. Rather, the device is in a standby state with respect to aerosol generation. More specifically, the pressure sensor 16 and the control circuit 20 are supplied with sufficient power to enable detection of a change in pressure (indicating a user's inhalation). When a user's inhalation is detected, the control circuit 20 is configured to supply power to the heater 48 to vaporize the source liquid. Furthermore, when a user's inhalation is no longer detected (e.g., when the pressure drops below a certain threshold), the control circuit 20 is configured to stop supplying power to the heater / vaporizer 48, thereby ceasing aerosol generation. Such aerosol generation actuation mechanisms are known, and devices using such mechanisms are commonly referred to as "puff-actuated" devices. In an alternative configuration that does not use the pressure sensor 16 (or other inhalation detector), aerosol generation may be initiated by the user input button. For example, user input button 14 can provide dual functionality by turning the device on and off and enabling aerosol generation. For example, user input button 14 may be pressed for a first time (e.g., 1 second) to turn the device on or off, and when the device is in the on state, user input button 14 may be pressed and held (depressed) for a second time, longer than the first time, to power heater 48. When the button is in the depressed state, a user can draw on mouthpiece opening 50 to inhale the generated aerosol. Such aerosol generation actuation mechanisms are known, and devices using such mechanisms are commonly referred to as "button-activated" devices.

[0035] Control circuitry 20 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of aerosol delivery system 1 to provide functionality according to embodiments of the present disclosure as further described herein, as well as conventional operational functions of aerosol delivery systems in accordance with established techniques for controlling such systems. Control circuitry 20 can be thought of as logically comprising various subunits / circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system and can be embodied by providing a (micro)controller, processor, ASIC, or similar form of control chip. Control circuitry 20 can be configured to control any function associated with system 1. By way of non-limiting example only, this functionality may include charging or recharging battery 26, discharging battery 26 (i.e., to power heater 48), in addition to other functions such as controlling visual indicators (e.g., LEDs) / displays, and communication functions for communicating with external devices. Control circuitry 20 can be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). It should also be noted that the functionality provided by control circuit 20 can be divided among multiple circuit boards and / or components not mounted on a PCB, and these additional components and / or PCBs can be located appropriately within the aerosol delivery device. For example, the functionality of control circuit 20 for controlling the (re)charging function of battery 26 may be provided separately (e.g., on a different PCB) from the functionality for controlling the discharging of battery 26.

[0036] The aerosol delivery system 1 also includes a sensor 70 for detecting the level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44 of the cartridge / first portion 4. As will be explained, the sensor 70 is configured to output sensor information related to the level of aerosolizable material, such as a source liquid, in the reservoir 44.

[0037] Sensor 70 may include one or more sensors operable to detect the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. Accordingly, in that regard, according to some embodiments, the sensor may include an optical sensor. In certain embodiments, the optical sensor may include a light emitter configured to output a light source (e.g., visible, infrared, and / or ultraviolet light) directed toward the surface of the aerosolizable material in reservoir 44, which is then detected by a corresponding light receiver of optical sensor 70. In such embodiments, by comparing the light source output from the light emitter with the light detected by the light receiver (which is affected by the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44), sensor 70 may output sensor information that is effectively related to the current level of aerosolizable material, such as source liquid, in reservoir 44.

[0038] Sensor 70, according to some embodiments, can also comprise an acoustic sensor. In certain embodiments, the acoustic sensor may comprise an audio emitter or speaker configured to output an audio source directed toward the surface of the aerosolizable material in reservoir 44, which is then detected by a corresponding audio receiver or microphone in acoustic sensor 70. In such embodiments, by comparing the audio source output from the audio emitter with the audio detected by the audio receiver (which is affected by the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44), sensor 70 can output sensor information that is effectively related to the current level of aerosolizable material, such as source liquid, in reservoir 44.

[0039] In some embodiments, sensor 70 may alternatively / additionally comprise at least one of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, and / or an inductive sensor for outputting a capacitance / resistive / impedance value, respectively, related to the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. In that regard, any such capacitance / resistive / impedance value will be affected by the relative amount of aerosolizable material to air present in reservoir 44.

[0040] It will be appreciated that any number of sensor(s) 70 may be provided such that, if present, the level of liquid in the reservoir can be accurately determined and the sensor can output sensor information substantially related to the remaining level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. Similarly, the exact location of each sensor(s) 70 will depend on the type of sensor 70 used to detect the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. According to some embodiments, each sensor may be located within or on a wall of reservoir 44, for example, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 (where sensor 70 is shown located on the outer wall of reservoir 44).

[0041] According to some embodiments, sensor 70 may at least partially cover an opening in a wall of reservoir 44 through which aerosolizable material can be delivered from reservoir 44 to vaporizer 48. This wall may, according to some very particular embodiments, be an interior wall of reservoir 44. By positioning sensor 70 to at least partially cover the opening through which aerosolizable material can be delivered from reservoir 44 to vaporizer 48, aerosol delivery system 1 may more effectively detect small amounts of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44, which may indicate a dry-out condition (i.e., in such embodiments, a condition in which there is no / not enough aerosolizable material operable to deliver aerosolizable material from reservoir 44 to vaporizer 48 through the opening).

[0042] In very particular embodiments, multiple sensors 70a, 70b, ..., 70n may be provided located on the walls of reservoir 44, e.g., distributed along the length of reservoir 44 extending between two end walls 44A, 44B. Such an embodiment is shown in Figure 2. Providing more sensors 70 can serve to further increase the effectiveness of the sensors to output accurate sensor information related to the level of aerosolizable material within reservoir 44.

[0043] According to the above embodiments, any of the provided sensor(s) 70, 70a, 70b, ... 70n may be any of the sensors described herein, such as, for example, optical sensors, acoustic sensors, capacitive sensors, resistive sensors, and / or inductive sensors, as appropriate, and / or any other sensor(s) capable of outputting sensor information related to the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44.

[0044] As described above, each sensor 70 is configured to output sensor information related to the remaining level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. The output sensor information is configured to be output to control circuitry 20 of aerosol delivery system 1. This can be accomplished using either a wired or wireless connection between control circuitry 20 and sensor(s) 70, as desired. In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a wired connection is provided between sensor(s) 70 and control circuitry 20, extending across interface 6 between first portion 4 and reusable portion 2.

[0045] According to some of the above embodiments, the sensor 70 is shown as being disposed in the first portion 4. However, according to other embodiments, the reusable portion 2 may include the sensor(s) 70, as shown, for example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 . In such embodiments, the sensor(s) 70 are disposed in the reusable portion 2 but are still operable to detect the level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44. To achieve this, each sensor 70 according to these embodiments may be disposed, for example, at the interface 6 between the first portion 4 and the reusable portion 2. In this way, each sensor 70 is still sufficiently proximal to the first portion 4 to detect the level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44. For example, in a very particular embodiment in which the sensor 70 is an optical sensor, the first portion 4 may include a window 72 to allow light from the sensor 70 to enter and exit the fluid reservoir 44, with the window 72 facing the reusable portion 2 and the window being disposed adjacent to the sensor 70. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 . It should be noted that by placing the sensor(s) 70 in the reusable part 2, it is not necessary to provide a sensor 70 in each first part 4, and this first part 4 can be a consumable first part 4.

[0046] Regardless of how sensor(s) 70 are positioned / located within aerosol delivery system 1, as described above, each sensor 70 is configured to output sensor information related to the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. Control circuitry 20 is configured to process the sensor information from sensor(s) 70 to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44, and is configured to generate a signal when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a predetermined amount.

[0047] According to some embodiments, the generated signal may be an instruction to replace the second consumable portion 8. In that regard, the amount of aerosolizable material provided in the first portion 4 is carefully selected primarily with a view to reducing the cost of goods as much as reasonably possible, taking into account certain regulations. Similarly, the amount of fragrance material 84 in the second portion 8 is selected based on similar considerations. In that regard, it has also been found that the second portion 8 generally needs to be replaced more frequently than the first portion 4 to provide a satisfactory aerosol to the user. In other words, a predetermined number of the second portions 8 may be completely consumed before the first portion 4, having a reservoir 44 full of aerosolizable material, is completely consumed. According to some embodiments, this predetermined number may be 2, 3, 4, or 5.

[0048] In regard to the above, it is always difficult for the user to know the optimal time to switch the second portion 8 for a replacement second portion 8. Indeed, from the user's perspective, this can only be known when the user reacts to receiving an unsatisfactory / bad-tasting aerosol (i.e., when the contents of the second portion 8 are completely consumed). Depending on the user's level of perception, the user may not realize this until some time after the ideal time to switch the second portion 8.

[0049] With the above in mind, the signal generated may be an instruction to replace the second consumable portion 8 when it is determined that the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44 has reached or fallen below a predetermined amount.

[0050] According to some embodiments, this predetermined amount corresponds to at least one of ¾, ⅔, ½, ⅓, or ¼ when the reservoir 44 of the first portion 4 is full of aerosolizable material. It will be apparent that these fractions may depend on the predetermined number of second portions 8 that may be consumed before the first portion 4 having a reservoir 44 full of aerosolizable material is completely consumed (e.g., a fraction of ¾ full corresponds to four second portions 8 being consumed for a single full consumption of a first portion 4).

[0051] Regarding the signal generated in the above example, according to some embodiments, the signal may be at least one of an optical signal, an acoustic signal, and a tactile signal, which can be used to indicate to the user that the second portion 8 needs to be changed.

[0052] To accomplish the above, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system 1 may further comprise any one or combination of optical elements (such as LEDs), acoustic elements (such as speakers), and tactile feedback elements (such as vibrators), as needed. It will be apparent that in some particular embodiments of the above, any such optical / acoustic / tactile feedback element(s) may be most conveniently located in the reusable part 2.

[0053] According to some embodiments, the predetermined amount may be a first predetermined amount and the signal may be a first signal. In such embodiments, control circuitry 20 may be further configured to generate a second signal when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a second predetermined amount, where the second predetermined amount is less than the first predetermined amount.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the second signal allows the aerosol delivery system 1 to easily respond to another second portion 8 being nominally consumed after the previous second portion 8 has been consumed, and / or to the aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44 reaching or falling below low / empty.

[0055] As noted above, according to certain embodiments thereof, the second signal may be a second instruction to (again) replace the second consumable portion. In that regard, in some embodiments, for example, the second predetermined amount may correspond to at least one of 1 / 2 or 1 / 3 of the reservoir 44 being full of aerosolizable material (which may be in embodiments where four or three second portions 8 are consumed for a single full consumption of first portion 4, respectively).

[0056] Any such second signal to replace the second consumable portion 8 may, if desired, be at least one of an optical signal, an acoustic signal, and a tactile signal, which can be used to indicate to the user that the second portion 8 needs to be changed.

[0057] In some embodiments, for example, if reservoir 44 is empty or nearly empty, the second signal may be a command to disable operation of aerosol delivery system 1 and / or vaporizer 48. In some particular embodiments thereof, operation of aerosol delivery system 1 and / or vaporizer 48 may then be disabled until control circuitry 20 determines (from sensor information from sensor 70) that the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir has reached or exceeded a predetermined minimum amount and / or until control circuitry 20 determines that reservoir 44 is full of aerosolizable material.

[0058] In an even narrower embodiment, in addition to generating a second signal when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a second predetermined amount, control circuitry 20 may be further configured to generate a third signal when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a third predetermined amount, where the third predetermined amount is less than the second predetermined amount.

[0059] In such a third signal, according to some particular embodiments thereof, the third signal may include a command to replace the second consumable part 8 (again, or a third time, etc.) and / or to disable operation of the vaporizer.

[0060] For an illustration of an embodiment method for using / operating the aerosol delivery system 1 described herein, reference is made to Figure 4. In method 400 of Figure 4, the method first includes detecting the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44 of first portion 4 of aerosol delivery system 1 using sensor(s) 70, 70a, 70b, ... 70n (step 402).

[0061] Sensor information is then output from sensor(s) 70 to control circuitry 20 of aerosol delivery system 1, where the sensor information relates to the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44 (step 404).

[0062] The sensor information is then processed by control circuitry 20 to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44 (step 406). It will be appreciated that such processing of the sensor information may further utilize additional information related to the physical dimensions of reservoir 44 and / or the location of each sensor 70 within reservoir 70 to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. It will be apparent that, according to some embodiments, such additional information related to the physical dimensions of reservoir 44 and / or the location of each sensor 70 within reservoir 70 may be pre-stored in memory of control circuitry 20, or in some embodiments, the additional information may be output from sensor 70 along with the sensor information.

[0063] Then, based on this determined amount of aerosolizable material remaining in reservoir 44, control circuit 20 is configured to generate a signal to replace second consumable portion 8 if it determines that the amount of aerosolizable material has reached or fallen below a predetermined amount (step 408).

[0064] As mentioned above, according to some embodiments, the predetermined amount may correspond to at least one of ¾, ⅔, ½, ⅓, or ¼ when the first portion reservoir 44 is full of aerosolizable material. It will be apparent that these fractions may depend on the predetermined number of second portions 8 that may be consumed before the first portion 4 having a reservoir 44 full of aerosolizable material is completely consumed (e.g., a fraction of ¾ full corresponds to four second portions 8 being consumed for a single full consumption of a first portion 4).

[0065] Thus, according to the above method, the aerosol delivery system uses sensor(s) 70 to detect the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44, ultimately providing an accurate indication of the amount of aerosolizable material remaining in reservoir 44. This is in contrast to other systems that use techniques to estimate the amount of aerosolizable material consumed by monitoring the energy and / or time that a heating element is operated. Therefore, such estimation techniques, noting that they are merely estimates, may not be very accurate in their indication of the amount of aerosolizable material actually consumed (which may be important in the context of an aerosol delivery system).

[0066] therefore, a first portion comprising a reservoir for storing an aerosolizable material; a sensor for detecting a level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir of the first portion, the sensor configured to output sensor information related to the level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir; a vaporizer disposed downstream of the reservoir for vaporizing the aerosolizable material; a second consumable portion disposed downstream of the vaporizer for holding a scenting material; a control circuit configured to process sensor information from the sensor to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir and configured to generate a signal when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to reach or fall below a predetermined amount; Equipped with The signal is an indication to replace the second consumable part, an aerosol delivery system is described.

[0067] Also described is a method of generating a signal for use with an aerosol delivery system configured to generate a vapor from an aerosolizable material using a vaporizer, the method comprising: detecting a level of aerosolizable material in a reservoir of a first portion of the aerosol delivery system using a sensor; outputting sensor information from the sensor to control circuitry of the aerosol delivery system, the sensor information relating to a level of aerosolizable material in the reservoir; processing the sensor information with control circuitry to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir; generating a signal in the control circuit when the amount of aerosolizable material is determined to reach or fall below a predetermined amount; Including, The signal is an instruction to replace a second consumable portion for holding fragrance material from the aerosol delivery system, the second consumable portion being positioned downstream of the vaporizer and configured to receive vapor produced by the vaporizer.

[0068] An aerosol delivery system 1 is further described that includes a first portion 4 that includes a reservoir 44 for storing an aerosolizable material and a sensor 70 for detecting the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44. The sensor 70 is configured to output sensor information related to the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44. The aerosol delivery system further includes a vaporizer 48 for vaporizing the aerosolizable material and a second consumable portion 8 disposed downstream of the vaporizer 48 for holding a fragrance material. The aerosol delivery system 1 is configured to process the sensor information to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44 and to generate a signal to replace the second consumable portion 8 when it is determined that the amount of aerosolizable material has reached or fallen below a predetermined amount.

[0069] While the above embodiments have, in some respects, focused on some particular exemplary aerosol delivery systems, it will be appreciated that the same principles can be applied to aerosol delivery systems using other technologies, i.e., the particular manner in which various aspects of the aerosol delivery system function is not directly related to the underlying principles of the examples described herein.

[0070] For example, while first portion 4 has been described as being removably coupled to reusable portion 2, in some embodiments, first portion 4 may be integral with reusable portion 2. For example, cartridge housing 42 of first portion 4 may, in some embodiments, be integrally formed with or the same as outer housing 12 of reusable portion 2. In such embodiments, reservoir 44 may be refillable with aerosolizable material when reservoir 44 is depleted, for example, through a closable opening to reservoir 44. In such embodiments, a signal from control circuit 20 may indicate to a user that reservoir 44 is depleted or nearly depleted and requires refilling.

[0071] In some embodiments, and although not expressly required, to further improve the accuracy of aerosol delivery system 1 in detecting the amount of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44, aerosol delivery system 1, such as first portion 4 and / or reusable portion 2 thereof, may further comprise an orientation sensor 74 for determining the orientation of first portion 4 and, therefore, the level of aerosolizable material in reservoir 44. Such orientation sensor 74 may, for example, comprise one or more accelerometers, according to certain embodiments. With reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 , orientation sensor 74 is shown located in reusable portion 2, but as noted above, any such orientation sensor 74 may be located anywhere suitable within aerosol delivery system 1.

[0072] If such an orientation sensor 74 is present, it will be configured to output orientation sensor information related to the orientation of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir 44 to the control circuitry 20. As such, the control circuitry 20 will then be configured to process the sensor information from each sensor 70 and the orientation sensor information from the orientation sensor 74 to determine the amount of aerosolizable material in the reservoir.

[0073] For the sake of completeness, it is again noted that the presence of any such orientation sensor 74 is not expressly required, and that the orientation of the liquid in the reservoir 44 may additionally / alternatively be determined by disposing in the reservoir 44 an appropriate number of sensors 70 capable of detecting the orientation of the liquid in the reservoir 44 at any required angle / orientation, as required.

[0074] To address various challenges and advance the art, this disclosure illustratively presents various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not intended to be comprehensive and / or exclusive. They are presented merely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed invention(s). The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the disclosure as defined by the claims or the equivalents thereof, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. It is understood that various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and thus that features of the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims in combinations other than those expressly set forth in the claims. The present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but that may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. a first portion comprising a reservoir for storing an aerosolizable material; a sensor for detecting a level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir of the first portion, the sensor configured to output sensor information related to the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir; a vaporizer disposed downstream of the reservoir for vaporizing the aerosolizable material; a second consumable portion disposed downstream of the vaporizer for holding a scenting material; a control circuit configured to process the sensor information from the sensor to determine the amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir, and configured to generate a signal when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined to reach or fall below a predetermined amount; Equipped with The aerosol delivery system, wherein the signal is an instruction to replace the second consumable part.

2. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

3. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor comprises an acoustic sensor.

4. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, and / or an inductive sensor.

5. 5. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is located within the reservoir or on a wall of the reservoir.

6. the aerosol delivery system comprises a reusable portion; the first part is connectable to the reusable part; 6. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the second consumable part is connectable to the first part.

7. 7. The aerosol delivery system of claim 6 when not dependent on claim 5, wherein the reusable part comprises the sensor.

8. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first part comprises the sensor.

9. 9. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the first portion is removable from the aerosol delivery system independently of the second consumable portion.

10. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the signal is at least one of an optical signal, an acoustic signal, and a tactile signal.

11. 11. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount corresponds to at least one of 3 / 4, 2 / 3, 1 / 2, 1 / 3, or 1 / 4 of the amount of aerosolizable material when the reservoir of the first portion is full.

12. an orientation sensor configured to output orientation sensor information related to an orientation of the aerosolizable material within the reservoir to the control circuit; 12. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to process the attitude sensor information from the attitude sensor together with the sensor information from the sensor to determine the amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir.

13. 13. The aerosol delivery system of claim 12 when further dependent on claim 6, wherein the reusable part comprises the orientation sensor.

14. the predetermined amount is a first predetermined amount, the signal is a first signal, 14. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a second signal when it is determined that the amount of the aerosolizable material has reached or fallen below a second predetermined amount, the second predetermined amount being less than the first predetermined amount.

15. 15. The aerosol delivery system of claim 14, wherein the second predetermined amount corresponds to at least one of one-half or one-third of the reservoir being full of aerosolizable material.

16. 16. The aerosol delivery system of claim 14 or 15, wherein the second signal is a second instruction to replace the second consumable part.

17. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the second signal includes a command to disable operation of the aerosol delivery system.

18. 18. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a third signal when it is determined that the amount of the aerosolizable material has reached or fallen below a third predetermined amount, the third predetermined amount being less than the second predetermined amount.

19. 20. The aerosol delivery system of claim 18, wherein the third signal includes a command to replace the second consumable part and / or a command to disable operation of the vaporizer.

20. 20. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the wall of the reservoir comprises an opening for delivering the aerosolizable material from the reservoir to the vaporizer, and the sensor at least partially covers the opening.

21. 21. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the first portion is a first consumable portion.

22. 22. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the vaporizer comprises a heater.

23. 23. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the flavoring material comprises or consists solely of tobacco.

24. 24. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the aerosolizable material comprises a fluid.

25. 25. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors.

26. 1. A method of generating a signal for use with an aerosol delivery system configured to generate a vapor from an aerosolizable material using a vaporizer, comprising: detecting a level of aerosolizable material in a reservoir of a first portion of the aerosol delivery system using a sensor; outputting sensor information from the sensor to control circuitry of the aerosol delivery system, the sensor information relating to the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir; processing the sensor information with the control circuitry to determine the amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir; generating a signal in the control circuit when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined to reach or fall below a predetermined amount; Including, The method, wherein the signal is an instruction to replace a second consumable portion for holding a fragrance material from the aerosol delivery system, the second consumable portion being positioned downstream of the vaporizer and configured to receive the vapor produced by the vaporizer.

27. detecting an orientation of the aerosolizable material within the reservoir using an orientation sensor; outputting attitude sensor information from the attitude sensor to the control circuitry, the attitude sensor information relating to the orientation of the aerosolizable material within the reservoir; further comprising 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the control circuitry further processes the attitude sensor information in conjunction with processing the sensor information to determine the amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir.

28. the predetermined amount is a first predetermined amount, the signal is a first signal, After generating the first signal, the method further comprises: replacing the second consumable part with another second consumable part; generating a second signal in the control circuit when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a second predetermined amount, the second predetermined amount being less than the first predetermined amount; further comprising 28. The method of claim 26 or 27, wherein the second signal is an instruction to replace the other second consumable part.

29. After generating the second signal, replacing the other second consumable portion with a still other second consumable portion; generating a third signal in the control circuit when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined to have reached or fallen below a third predetermined amount, the third predetermined amount being less than the second predetermined amount; 30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

30. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the third signal is an instruction to replace the further second consumable part.

31. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the third signal is an instruction to disable operation of the vaporizer.

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