Temperature control in an aerosol delivery device

Abstract

To provide an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article that produces aerosol.SOLUTION: An aerosol delivery device 700 is provided that includes a power source 708, a heating element 710, a switch 720 coupled between the power source 708 and the heating element 710, and processing circuitry 706 coupled to the switch 720. The processing circuitry 706 can output a PWM signal during a heating time period to cause the switch 720 to switchably connect and disconnect the output voltage to the heating element 710 to power the heating element 710. The processing circuitry 706 outputs a pulse of known current to the heating element 710, and measures voltage across the heating element 710 between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal. The processing circuitry 706 calculates the resistance of the heating element 710 based on the known current and the voltage, calculates the temperature of the heating element 710 based on the resistance, and adjusts a duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 668,929, filed October 30, 2019, entitled "Temperature Control in an Aerosol Delivery Device," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 911,595, filed October 7, 2019, entitled "Temperature Control in an Aerosol Delivery Device," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 769,296, filed November 19, 2018, entitled "Management System for Control Functions in a Vaporization System," all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, such as smoking articles, that generate aerosols. The smoking articles can be configured to heat or dispense aerosol precursors, or generate aerosols from aerosol precursors, which can be made or derived from tobacco or can incorporate materials that can incorporate tobacco, and the precursors can form inhalable substances for human consumption. [Background technology]

[0003] Many smoking devices have been proposed over the years as an improvement or replacement for smoking products that require the burning of tobacco for use.Many of these devices are purportedly designed to provide the sensation associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, but without delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products resulting from the burning of tobacco.For this purpose, many smoking products, aroma generators, and medical inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile substances, or attempt to provide the sensation of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without burning tobacco to a significant extent.For example, see the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art described in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 by Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 by Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat sources referenced by brand name and commercial source described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 [Patent Document 3] US Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 [Patent Document 4] US Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, it may be desirable to provide aerosol delivery devices with improved electronics that can extend the usefulness of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device configured to generate an aerosol, which in some embodiments may be referred to as an electronic cigarette, a non-combustion heated tobacco (or device), or a non-combustion heated tobacco device. The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following example embodiments.

[0007] Some example embodiments provide an aerosol delivery device comprising: a power source configured to provide an output voltage; a heating element capable of supplying power to vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol, the heating element having a resistance that is variable and proportional to the temperature of the heating element; a switch coupled to the power source and the heating element and between the power source and the heating element; and a processing circuit coupled to the switch and configured to output a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal during a heating period to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect an output voltage to the heating element to supply power to the heating element, the PWM signal including pulses during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and between which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected; the processing circuit is further configured to output pulses of known current to the heating element and measure a voltage across the heating element between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal; the processing circuit is configured to calculate a resistance of the heating element based on the known current and voltage, calculate a temperature of the heating element based on the resistance, and adjust the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target.

[0008] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the example embodiments, or any combination of any of the example embodiments, the processing circuitry being configured to adjust the duty cycle of the PWM signal includes being configured to increase or decrease the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature is below or above a predetermined target, respectively.

[0009] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, the processing circuitry configured to output the pulses includes processing circuitry configured to output pulses of known current interspersed between the pulses of the PWM signal, and the processing circuitry configured to measure the voltage across the heating element for each of the pulses.

[0010] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, a pulse of known current output to the heating element generates a voltage across the heating element, and the known current is selected so that the voltage is less than half of the output voltage provided by the power source.

[0011] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, outside of a heating period when the PWM signal is not present and the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected, the processing circuit is further configured to output a second pulse of known current to the heating element and measure a second voltage across the heating element, the processing circuit is configured to calculate a nominal resistance of the heating element based on the known current and the second voltage, and calculate a nominal temperature of the heating element based on the nominal resistance, and the processing circuit is configured to calculate a temperature of the heating element further based on the nominal temperature of the heating element.

[0012] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the example embodiments, or any combination of any of the example embodiments, the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element during the heating period, and to perform a lockout of the heating element when the amount of heat in the heating element is greater than a threshold amount of heat.

[0013] Some example embodiments provide an aerosol delivery device comprising: a power source configured to provide an output voltage; a heating element capable of supplying power to vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol; a switch coupled to the power source and the heating element and located between the power source and the heating element; and a processing circuit coupled to the switch and configured to output a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal during a heating period to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect an output voltage to the heating element to supply power to the heating element, the PWM signal including pulses during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and between which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected; and the processing circuit is further configured to calculate a heat amount in the heating element during the heating period and to perform a lockout of the heating element when the heat amount in the heating element is greater than a threshold heat amount.

[0014] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, the processing circuitry configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element includes processing circuitry configured to repeatedly calculate the amount of heat in the heating element during the heating period.

[0015] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, the heating period is initiated by a user puffing, causing air to flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device, and the processing circuitry configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element includes processing circuitry configured to at least measure a heating current through the heating element and a heating voltage across the heating element, calculate a first amount of heat added to the heating element based on the heating current, the heating voltage, the elapsed time, and the duty cycle of the PWM signal, determine a second amount of heat removed from the heating element by forced convection due to the air flow caused by the user puffing, and calculate the amount of heat in the heating element based on the first amount of heat and the second amount of heat.

[0016] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, the processing circuitry configured to perform the lockout of the heating element includes at least a processing circuitry configured to interrupt the PWM signal to cause the switch to disconnect the output voltage to the heating element, and to keep the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until the amount of heat in the heating element is less than the threshold amount of heat.

[0017] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, the processing circuitry configured to perform the lockout of the heating element determines at least a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air; a processing circuit configured to calculate any remaining amount of heat in the heating element from the heating period based on the amount of heat in the heating element and the third amount of heat, and to keep the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until any remaining amount of heat in the heating element is an amount less than the threshold amount of heat; Further includes:

[0018] In some example embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, the user puff is one of a plurality of user puffs that also includes a second user puff that causes a second air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device and initiates a second heating period, and between the heating period and the second heating period, the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine at least a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air; and calculate any remaining amount of heat in the heating element from the heating period based on the amount of heat in the heating element and the third amount of heat; The processing circuitry is further configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element during a second heating period based on any remaining amount of heat in the heating element from the heating period.

[0019] Some embodiments provide a method of controlling an aerosol delivery device including a power source configured to provide an output voltage and a heating element capable of supplying power to vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol, the heating element having a resistance that is variable and proportional to the temperature of the heating element, the method including: switchably connecting and disconnecting the output voltage to the heating element to power the heating element according to a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal, the PWM signal including pulses, during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and during which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected; outputting pulses of known current to the heating element and measuring the voltage across the heating element between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal; calculating the resistance of the heating element based on the known current and voltage; calculating the temperature of the heating element based on the resistance; and adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target.

[0020] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the example embodiments, or any combination of any of the example embodiments, adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM signal includes increasing or decreasing the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature is below or above a predetermined target, respectively.

[0021] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, outputting the pulses includes outputting pulses of known current interspersed between the pulses of the PWM signal, and the voltage across the heating element is measured for each of the pulses.

[0022] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, the pulse of known current output to the heating element generates a voltage across the heating element, and the method further includes selecting the known current such that the voltage is less than half of the output voltage provided by the power supply.

[0023] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, outside of a heating period when the PWM signal is not present and the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected, the method further includes outputting a second pulse of known current to the heating element and measuring a second voltage across the heating element, calculating a nominal resistance of the heating element based on the known current and the second voltage, calculating a nominal temperature of the heating element based on the nominal resistance, and calculating a nominal temperature of the heating element based on the nominal temperature, wherein the temperature of the heating element is calculated further based on the nominal temperature of the heating element.

[0024] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, the method further includes calculating a heat amount in the heating element during the heating period, and performing a lockout of the heating element when the heat amount in the heating element is greater than a threshold heat amount.

[0025] Some example embodiments provide a method of controlling an aerosol delivery device including a power source configured to provide an output voltage and a heating element capable of supplying power to vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol, the method comprising: switchably connecting and disconnecting the output voltage to the heating element to power the heating element in accordance with a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal, the PWM signal including pulses, during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and during which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected; calculating a heat output in the heating element during the heating period; and performing a lockout of the heating element when the heat output in the heating element is greater than a threshold heat output.

[0026] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, calculating the heat amount in the heating element includes repeatedly calculating the heat amount in the heating element during the heating period.

[0027] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, the heating period is initiated by a user puffing, causing air to flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device, and calculating the amount of heat in the heating element includes measuring at least a heating current through the heating element and a heating voltage across the heating element, calculating a first amount of heat added to the heating element based on the heating current, the heating voltage, the elapsed time, and the duty cycle of the PWM signal, determining a second amount of heat removed from the heating element by forced convection due to the air flow caused by the user's puffing, and calculating the amount of heat in the heating element based on the first amount of heat and the second amount of heat.

[0028] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the example embodiments, or any combination of any of the example embodiments, performing a lockout of the heating element includes at least interrupting the PWM signal to disconnect the output voltage to the heating element, and keeping the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until the amount of heat in the heating element is less than the threshold amount of heat.

[0029] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the preceding example embodiments, or any combination of any of the preceding example embodiments, performing the lockout of the heating element further includes determining at least a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air, and calculating any amount of residual heat in the heating element from the heating period based on the amount of heat in the heating element and the third amount of heat, and keeping the output voltage to the heating element disconnected includes keeping the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until the amount of residual heat in the heating element is an amount less than the threshold amount of heat.

[0030] In some example embodiments of the method of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, or any combination of any of the aforementioned example embodiments, the user puff is one of a plurality of user puffs that also includes a second user puff that causes a second air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device and initiates a second heating period, and between the heating period and the second heating period, the method further includes determining at least a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air, and calculating any amount of residual heat in the heating element from the heating period based on the amount of heat in the heating element and the third amount of heat, and the method further includes calculating the amount of heat in the heating element during the second heating period based on any amount of residual heat in the heating element from the heating period.

[0031] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more features described in the present disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined or recited in a specific example embodiment described herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole such that any separable features or elements of the disclosure are to be considered combinable, in any of its aspects and example embodiments, unless the context of the disclosure clearly dictates otherwise.

[0032] It should therefore be understood that this brief summary is provided solely for the purpose of summarizing some example embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that the above example embodiments are merely examples, and should not be construed in any way as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Other example embodiments, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of some described example embodiments.

[0033] Having described aspects of the present disclosure in general terms above, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 shows a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge and a control body coupled together, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 shows a partial cutaway side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge and a control body coupled together, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 shows a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device comprising a control body and an aerosol source member coupled together according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]1 shows a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device including a control body and an aerosol source member separated from one another according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 5 shows a front view of the aerosol delivery device of FIGS. 3 and 4, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 6] 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the aerosol delivery device of FIGS. 3 and 4, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 shows a circuit diagram of an aerosol delivery device according to various example embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 shows a circuit diagram of an aerosol delivery device according to various example embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an exemplary pulse width modulated (PWM) signal according to some examples. [Figure 10] 10 shows an exemplary PWM signal superimposed with a measurement of the voltage across a heating element, according to some examples. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates a processing circuit according to various example embodiments. [Figure 12] 1 illustrates a processing circuit according to various example embodiments. [Figure 13] 1 is a flowchart illustrating various operations in a method of controlling an aerosol delivery device, according to various example embodiments. [Figure 14] 1 is a flowchart illustrating various operations in a method of controlling an aerosol delivery device, according to various example embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] The present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to example embodiments thereof. These example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Additionally, while reference may be made herein to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships, and the like, unless otherwise specified, any one or more, if not all, of these may be absolute or approximate, accounting for acceptable variations that may occur due to technical tolerances, etc.

[0036] As described below, the present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery device may be configured to generate an aerosol (inhalable substance) from an aerosol precursor composition (sometimes referred to as an inhalable substance medium). The aerosol precursor composition may include one or more of a solid tobacco material, a semi-solid tobacco material, or a liquid aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may be configured to heat a fluid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid aerosol precursor composition) and generate an aerosol from the fluid aerosol precursor composition. Such an aerosol delivery device may include a so-called electronic cigarette. In other embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include a non-combustion heating device. In yet other embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include a non-combustion non-heating combustion device.

[0037] Liquid aerosol precursor compositions, also referred to as vapor precursor compositions or "e-liquids," are particularly useful for electronic cigarettes and no-heat-no-burn devices, as well as other devices that atomize or otherwise aerosolize liquids to generate inhalable aerosols. Liquid aerosol precursor compositions can include a variety of ingredients, including, by way of example, polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin (including vegetable glycerin), propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, and / or flavorings. In some examples, the aerosol precursor composition includes glycerin and nicotine.

[0038] Some liquid aerosol precursor compositions that may be used in combination with various embodiments may include one or more acids such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, benzoic acid, fumaric acid, combinations thereof, etc. Including an acid in a liquid aerosol precursor composition that includes nicotine can provide a protonated liquid aerosol precursor composition that includes nicotine in salt form. Representative types of liquid aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 to Lipowicz et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, and International Application No. 2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that can be used include aerosol precursors incorporated into any of the many representative products identified above. So-called "smoke juice" for e-cigarettes, available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC, is also desirable. Further example aerosol precursor compositions are sold under the following brand names: BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, The MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, THE VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, THE STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR. CRIMMY'S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT. BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN.Embodiments of foamable materials can be used with aerosol precursors, and are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0055494 to Hunt et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, the use of foamable materials is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,878 to Wehling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,264 to Wehling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,590 to Pather et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,667 to Bergquist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,541 to Crawford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,307,787 to Sun et al., as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0018539 to Brinkley et al. and WO 97 / 06786 to Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] The aerosol precursor composition may additionally or alternatively include other active ingredients, including, but not limited to, botanicals (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca, and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan), and / or pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins such as B6, B12, and C, and cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0040] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, various wicking materials, as well as the configuration and operation of these wicking materials within particular types of electronic cigarettes, are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0041] In other embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include a non-combustion heating device configured to heat a solid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., an extruded tobacco rod) or a semi-solid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a glycerin-loaded tobacco paste). The aerosol precursor composition may include tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco strips, reconstituted tobacco material, or combinations thereof, and / or a mixture of finely ground tobacco, tobacco extract, spray-dried tobacco extract, or other tobacco forms mixed with an optional inorganic material (such as calcium carbonate) to form a substantially solid or moldable (e.g., extrudable) matrix, optional flavorings, and an aerosol-forming material. Representative types of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions and formulations are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,424,538 to Thomas et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,464,726 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0083150 to Conner et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0157052 to Ademe et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0000188 to Nordskog et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further representative types of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions and configurations include those found in the NEOSTIKS™ consumable aerosol source member by British American Tobacco for its GLO™ product and the HEETS™ consumable aerosol source member by Philip Morris International, Inc. for its IQOS™ product.

[0042] In various embodiments, the inhalable substance may specifically be a tobacco component or a tobacco-derived material (i.e., a material naturally found in tobacco that can be isolated directly from tobacco or synthetically prepared). For example, the aerosol precursor composition may include a tobacco extract or fraction thereof combined with an inert substrate. The aerosol precursor composition may further include unburned tobacco or a composition including unburned tobacco that releases an inhalable substance when heated to a temperature below combustion temperature. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include tobacco condensate or a fraction thereof (i.e., a condensed component of smoke produced by the combustion of tobacco that leaves behind flavor and, in some cases, nicotine).

[0043] Tobacco materials useful in the present disclosure may vary and may include, for example, flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Oriental or Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco, and rustica tobacco, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Tobacco materials may also include so-called "blends" and processed forms, such as processed tobacco stems (e.g., cut and rolled or cut and expanded stems), volume-expanded tobaccos (e.g., expanded tobaccos such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), preferably in the form of cut filler), and reconstituted tobaccos (e.g., reconstituted tobaccos produced using papermaking or cast sheet processes). Various representative tobacco types, processed tobacco types, and tobacco blend types are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930 to Gentry et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023 to Shafer et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,4 ... No. 6,701,936, U.S. Patent No. 7,011,096 to Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,017,585 to Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0255965 to Perfetti et al., International Application No. 02 / 37990 to Bereman, and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, pp. 11-17 (1997), which are incorporated herein by reference. Further exemplary tobacco compositions that may be useful in smoking devices, including those according to the present disclosure, are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0044] Additionally, the aerosol precursor composition may include an inert substrate onto which the inhalable substance or its precursor is incorporated or otherwise deposited. For example, a liquid containing the inhalable substance may be coated on, absorbed into, or absorbed into an inert substrate such that, upon application of heat, the inhalable substance is released in a form that can be removed from the article of the present invention by application of positive or negative pressure. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include a blend of flavorful, aromatic tobaccos in cut filler form. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include reconstituted tobacco materials such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al., 4,889,143 to Pryor et al., and 5,025,814 to Raker, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. For more information regarding suitable aerosol precursor compositions, see U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 916,834 to Sur et al., filed March 9, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0045] Regardless of the type of aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol delivery device may include an aerosol-generating component configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. For example, in the case of an electronic cigarette or a non-combustion heated device, the aerosol-generating component may be or include a heating element (sometimes referred to as a heating member). In the case of a non-heated non-combustion device, in some examples, the aerosol-generating component may be or include at least one vibrable piezoelectric or piezomagnetic mesh.

[0046] One example of a suitable heating element is an induction heater. Such heaters often include an induction transmitter and an induction receiver. The induction transmitter may include a coil configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field that changes periodically with time) when an alternating current is conducted therethrough. The induction receiver may be at least partially disposed within or received within the induction transmitter and may include a conductive material (e.g., a ferromagnetic material or an aluminum-coated material). Conducting an alternating current through the induction transmitter can generate eddy currents in the induction receiver via induction. The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material defining the induction receiver can heat it by Joule heating (i.e., through the Joule effect). The induction receiver, which may define a nebulizer, may be wirelessly heated to form an aerosol from an aerosol precursor composition positioned proximate to the induction receiver. Various embodiments of aerosol delivery devices with induction heaters are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0127722 to Davis et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0202266 to Sur et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0132531 to Sur et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0124979 to Sebastian et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0174823 to Sur et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] In other embodiments, including those described in more detail herein, the heating element is a conductive heater, such as an electrical resistance heater. These heaters may be configured to generate heat when an electric current is directed through them. In various embodiments, the conductive heater may be provided in various forms, such as in the form of a foil, foam, plate, disk, spiral, fiber, wire, film, thread, strip, ribbon, or cylinder. Such heaters often include a metallic material and are configured to generate heat as a result of electrical resistance associated with the passage of an electric current. Such a resistive heater may be positioned in proximity to the aerosol precursor composition to heat the aerosol precursor composition and generate an aerosol. Various conductive substrates that may be usable with the present disclosure are described in the above-cited U.S. Patent No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith et al. Other examples of suitable heaters are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,491,974 to DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0048] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include a control body, sometimes referred to as a power unit or control device. The aerosol delivery device may also include a cartridge in the case of so-called electronic cigarettes or non-heated, non-combustion devices, or an aerosol source member in the case of non-combustion-heated devices. In the case of either electronic cigarettes or non-combustion-heated devices, the control body may be reusable, while the cartridge / aerosol source member may be configured for a limited number of uses and / or may be configured to be disposable. Various mechanisms can connect the cartridge / aerosol source member to the control body, providing a threaded engagement, a press-fit engagement, an interference fit, a slip fit, a magnetic engagement, etc.

[0049] The control body and cartridge / aerosol source member can include separate, respective housings or outer bodies that can be formed from any of several different materials. The housings can be formed from any suitable structurally robust material. In some examples, the housings can be formed from metals or alloys such as stainless steel, aluminum, etc. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal plating on plastic, ceramic, etc.

[0050] The cartridge / aerosol source member may contain an aerosol precursor composition. To generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol generation component (e.g., a heating element, a piezoelectric / piezomagnetic mesh) may be disposed in contact with or in proximity to the aerosol precursor composition, for example, across the control body and cartridge, or within the control body in which the aerosol source member may be disposed. The control body may include a power source, which may be rechargeable or replaceable, so that the control body may be reused with multiple cartridges / aerosol source members.

[0051] The control body may also include means for activating the aerosol delivery device, such as a push button, a touch-sensitive surface, etc. for manual control of the device. Additionally or alternatively, the control body may include a flow sensor for detecting when a user inhales on the cartridge / aerosol source member, thereby activating the aerosol delivery device.

[0052] In various embodiments, the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can have a variety of overall shapes, including, but not limited to, those that can be defined as substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. In the embodiments shown in and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the aerosol delivery device has a substantially circular cross-section, although other cross-sectional shapes (e.g., oval, square, rectangular, triangular, etc.) are also encompassed by the present disclosure. Such language describing the physical shape of an article can also apply to the control body and its individual components, including the cartridge / aerosol source member. In other embodiments, the control body can have another handheld shape, such as a small box.

[0053] In more specific embodiments, one or both of the control body and the cartridge / aerosol source member may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body may have a power source such as a replaceable or rechargeable battery, an SSB, a thin-film SSB, a rechargeable supercapacitor, a lithium-ion or hybrid lithium-ion supercapacitor, etc. One example of a power source is the TKI-1550 rechargeable lithium-ion battery manufactured by Tadiran Batteries GmbH of Germany. In another embodiment, a useful power source may be the N50-AAA CADNICA nickel-cadmium cell manufactured by Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. of Japan. In other embodiments, multiple such batteries may be connected in series, each providing, for example, 1.2 volts.

[0054] In some examples, the power source may then be connected to, and thereby combined with, any type of recharging technology. Examples of suitable chargers include chargers that simply provide constant current or pulsed direct current (DC) power to the power source, fast chargers that add control circuitry, three-stage chargers, inductively powered chargers, smart chargers, kinetically powered chargers, pulse chargers, solar chargers, USB-based chargers, etc. In some examples, the charger includes a power adapter and any suitable charging circuitry. In other examples, the charger includes a power adapter and the control unit is equipped with the charging circuitry. In these other examples, the charger may simply be referred to as a power adapter.

[0055] The control body can include any of several different terminals, electrical connectors, etc., for connecting to an appropriate charger and, in some examples, for connecting to other peripheral devices for communication. More specifically suitable examples include direct current (DC) connectors such as cylindrical connectors, cigarette lighter connectors, and USB connectors, including those designated by USB 1.x (e.g., Type A, Type B), USB 2.0 and its updates and additions (e.g., Mini A, Mini B, Mini AB, Micro A, Micro B, Micro AB), and USB 3.x (e.g., Type A, Type B, Micro B, Micro AB, Type C), as well as proprietary connectors such as Apple's Lightning connector. The control body may connect directly to the charger or other peripheral device, or the two may connect via an appropriate cable that also has the appropriate connector. In examples where the two are connected by a cable, the control body and charger or other peripheral device can have the same or different types of connectors, with one type of connector or a cable having both types of connectors.

[0056] In examples involving inductively powered charging, the aerosol delivery device may be equipped with inductive wireless charging technology and may include an inductive receiver for connecting to a wireless charger, charging pad, or the like that includes an inductive transmitter and uses inductive wireless charging (e.g., including wireless charging according to the Qi wireless charging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)). Alternatively, the power source may be recharged from a radio frequency (RF)-based charger. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, in some embodiments in the case of e-cigarettes, the cartridge may include a disposable cartridge, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0057] One or more connections can be used to connect the power source to the recharging technology, some of which can involve a charging case, cradle, dock, sleeve, etc. More specifically, for example, the control body can be configured to mate with a cradle that includes a USB connector for connecting to a power source. Alternatively, in another example, the control body can be configured to fit within and engage a sleeve that includes a USB connector for connecting to a power source. In these and similar examples, the USB connector can be directly connected to the power source, or the USB connector can be connected to the power source via an appropriate power adapter.

[0058] Examples of power supplies are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112191 to Sur et al., filed October 21, 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other examples of suitable power supplies are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0283855 to Hawes et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0014125 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0243410 to Nichols et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0313901 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Patent No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. With respect to flow sensors, representative current regulating components and other current control components, including various microcontrollers, sensors, and switches for aerosol delivery devices, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875, all to Brooks et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to Fleischhauer et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to Fleischhauer et al. No. 6,040,560, U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,622 to Pan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0257445 to Henry et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0059] An input device may be included with the aerosol delivery device (and may replace or supplement the flow sensor). The input may be included to allow a user to control the device's functions and / or to output information to the user. Any component or combination of components may be utilized as an input for controlling the device's functions. Suitable input devices include push buttons, touch switches, or other touch-sensitive surfaces. For example, one or more push buttons may be used as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245658 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, a touch screen may be used as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,172,388 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0060] As a further example, a component adapted for gesture recognition based on specific movements of the aerosol delivery device can be used as an input device. See U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0158782 by Henry et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. As yet another example, a capacitive sensor may be implemented in the aerosol delivery device to allow a user to provide input, such as by touching the surface of the device on which the capacitive sensor is implemented. In another example, a sensor capable of detecting movement associated with the device (e.g., an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a photoelectric proximity sensor, etc.) may be implemented in the aerosol delivery device to allow a user to provide input. Examples of suitable sensors are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0132528 by Sur et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0158782 by Henry et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] As described above, the aerosol delivery device may include various electronics, such as at least one control component. A suitable control component may include several electronic components and, in some examples, may be formed from a circuit board such as a printed circuit board (PCB). In some examples, the electronic component includes a processing circuit configured to process data, execute applications, or perform other processing, control, or management services according to one or more example embodiments. The processing circuit may include a processor embodied in various forms, such as at least one processor core, a microprocessor, a coprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, or various other computing or processing devices including one or more integrated circuits, such as, for example, an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field-programmable gate array), or some combination thereof. In some examples, the processing circuit may include a memory coupled to or integrated with the processor, and may store data, computer program instructions executable by the processor, some combination thereof, etc.

[0062] In some examples, the control component may include one or more input / output peripherals that may be coupled to or integrated with the processing circuit. More specifically, the control component may include a communication interface for enabling wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices, or other appropriately enabled devices. An example of a suitable communication interface is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0261020 to Marion et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Another example of a suitable communication interface is the CC3200 single-chip wireless microcontroller unit (MCU) manufactured by Texas Instruments. Examples of suitable ways in which an aerosol delivery device may be configured to communicate wirelessly are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007651 to Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0219933 to Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can utilize additional components.One example of suitable components is the light source, such as light-emitting diode (LED), quantum dot-based LED, etc., that can be illuminated using aerosol delivery device.Examples of suitable LED components, and their configuration and use are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 by Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 by Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 by Scatterday and U.S. Patent No. 9,451,791 by Sears et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] Other indicators of operation are also encompassed by the present disclosure. For example, visual indicators of operation also include changes in light color or intensity to indicate the progression of the smoking experience. Tactile indicators of operation, such as a vibration motor, and audio indicators of operation, such as a speaker, are also encompassed by the present disclosure. Furthermore, combinations of such indicators of operation are suitable for use in a single smoking article. According to another aspect, the aerosol delivery device may include one or more indicators or indicators, such as a display configured to provide information corresponding to the operation of the smoking article, such as, for example, the amount of power remaining in the power source, the progression of the smoking experience, an indication corresponding to activating an aerosol-generating component, etc.

[0065] Still other components are contemplated. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al. discloses a smoking article indicator; U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of a device to detect a user's lip activity associated with inhaling and then trigger heating of the heating device; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling the flow of energy to a heat load array in response to a pressure drop through the mouthpiece; U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses a receptacle in a smoking device that includes an identifier that detects non-uniformity in infrared transmittance of an inserted component and a controller that executes a detection routine when a component is inserted into the receptacle; and U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. discloses a defined, viable power cycle having multiple distinct phases. No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al. discloses photonic-optronic components; U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means for varying the resistance of draw through a smoking device; U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses particular battery configurations for use in smoking devices; U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with smoking devices; U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. discloses computer interfacing means for smoking devices to facilitate charging and enable computer control of the device; U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for smoking devices; and International Application No. 2010 / 003480 to Flick discloses a fluid flow sensing system to indicate puffs in an aerosol generation system, all of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0066] Further examples of components related to electronic aerosol delivery articles and disclosed materials or components that may be used in the present articles include U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,287 to White, U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,218 to Voges, U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,461 to Nichols, U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,410 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi, U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,006 to Hamano, U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,756 to Shayan, and the like. Nos. 8,156,944 and 8,375,957 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 8,794,231 to Thorens et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,083 to Oglesby et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 to Monsees et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,957 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 8,794,231 to Thorens et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,083 to Oglesby et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 to Monsees et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., U.S. Pat. U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006 / 0196518 and 2009 / 0188490, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0024834 to Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 to Wang, International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 to Hon, and International Application No. 2013 / 089551 to Foo, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additionally, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0099877 to Worm et al. discloses a capsule that can be included in an aerosol delivery device and a fob configuration for an aerosol delivery device, and is incorporated herein by reference. The various materials disclosed by the aforementioned documents may be incorporated into the device in various embodiments, and all of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] Still other features, controls or components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005 / 0016550 to Katase, U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fernando et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fernando et al. ... No. 8,689,804 to Nando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 9,427,022 to Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of an aerosol delivery device including a control body and a cartridge in the case of an electronic cigarette. In this regard, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an aerosol delivery device 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the aerosol delivery device may include a control body 102 (also referred to as a power unit) and a cartridge 104. The control body and cartridge may be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a perspective view and a partially cut-away side view, respectively, of the aerosol delivery device in a coupled configuration.

[0069] The control body 102 and the cartridge 104 can be configured to engage with each other via various connections, such as a press-fit (or interference fit) connection, a threaded connection, a magnetic connection, etc. Thus, the control body can include a first engaging element (e.g., a coupler) adapted to engage with a second engaging element (e.g., a connector) on the cartridge. The first engaging element and the second engaging element can be reversible. As an example, one of the first engaging element and the second engaging element can be male threaded and the other can be female threaded. As a further example, either the first engaging element or the second engaging element can be a magnet, and the other can be a metal or a mating magnet.

[0070] In certain embodiments, the engagement elements may be defined directly by existing components of the control body 102 and cartridge 104. For example, the control body housing may define a cavity at its end configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge (e.g., a reservoir or other shell-forming element of the cartridge). In particular, the reservoir of the cartridge may be at least partially received within the cavity of the control body while the mouthpiece of the cartridge remains exposed outside the cavity of the control body. The cartridge may be retained within the cavity formed by the control body housing by, for example, an interference fit (e.g., by use of detents and / or other mechanisms that create an interference engagement between the outer surface of the cartridge and the inner surface of the wall forming the cavity of the control body), magnetic engagement (e.g., through the use of magnets and / or magnetic metals disposed within the cavity of the control body and on the cartridge), or other suitable techniques.

[0071] 1, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include an indication window 106 defined on the outer housing of the control body 102, through which a user can be provided with a visual indication 108 related to a particular characteristic of the cartridge 104. Additionally or alternatively, the control body can include at least one aperture 110 defined in the outer housing of the control body, through which light from a light source (see FIG. 2) is visible.

[0072] As can be seen in the cutaway view shown in FIG. 2 , the control body 102 and cartridge 104 each include several respective components. The components shown in FIG. 2 are representative of components that may be present within the control body and cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of components encompassed by the present disclosure. As shown, for example, the control body can be formed from a housing 206 (sometimes referred to as a control body shell) that can include a control component 208 (e.g., processing circuitry, etc.), a flow sensor 210, a power source 212 (e.g., a battery, a supercapacitor), and a light source 214 (e.g., an LED, a quantum dot-based LED), and such components can be variably aligned. The power source can be rechargeable, and the control body can include a charging circuit coupled to the power source and configured to controllably charge the power source.

[0073] The control body 102 also includes a cartridge-receiving chamber 216, and the cartridge may be configured to be removably coupled to the cartridge-receiving chamber. The control body may include an electrical connector 218 disposed within the cartridge-receiving chamber configured to electrically couple the control body to the cartridge, particularly electrical contacts 220 on the cartridge. In this regard, the electrical connector and electrical contacts may form a connection interface for the control body and the cartridge. As also shown, the control body may include an external electrical connector 222 for connecting the control body with one or more external devices. Examples of suitable external electrical connectors include a USB connector, as described above, a proprietary connector such as Apple's Lightning connector, or the like.

[0074] In various examples, the cartridge 104 includes a tank portion and a mouthpiece portion. The cartridge, tank portion, and / or mouthpiece portion may be separately defined with respect to a longitudinal axis (L), a first transverse axis (T1) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a second transverse axis (T2) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the first transverse axis. The cartridge may be formed from a housing 224 (sometimes referred to as a cartridge shell) that encloses a reservoir 226 (in the tank portion) configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition and includes a heating element 228 (an aerosol-generating component). In some examples, an electrical connector 218 on the control body 102 and electrical contacts 220 on the cartridge may electrically connect the heating element with the cartridge's control component 208 and / or power source 212. In various configurations, this cartridge structure may be referred to as a tank; therefore, terms such as "cartridge," "tank," and the like may be used interchangeably to refer to a shell or other housing that encloses a reservoir for the aerosol precursor composition and includes a heating element.

[0075] As shown, in some examples, the reservoir 226 can be in fluid communication with a liquid transport element 230 adapted to wick or transport the aerosol precursor composition stored within the reservoir housing to the heating element 228. At least a portion of the liquid transport element can be positioned proximate to the heating element (e.g., directly adjacent, adjacent, very close, or relatively close). The liquid transport element can extend between the heating element and the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir 226, and at least a portion of the heating element can be positioned above the proximal end of the reservoir. For purposes of this disclosure, it should be understood that the term “above” in this particular context should be interpreted to mean toward the proximal end of the reservoir and / or cartridge 104 in a direction substantially along the longitudinal axis (L). Other configurations of the liquid transport element are also contemplated within the scope of this disclosure. For example, in some example embodiments, the liquid transport element can be positioned proximate to the distal end of the reservoir and / or positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis (L). For further examples of suitable arrangements, see U.S. Patent No. 16 / 598,505 to Novak et al., filed October 10, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0076] The heating element 228 and the liquid transport element 230 can be configured as separate fluidly connected elements, as a heating element and a liquid transport element, or as a combined element. For example, in some embodiments, the heating element may be integrated into the liquid transport element. Some examples of such components are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,833,364 to Buchberger and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0203057 to Buchberger, which are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the heating element and the liquid transport element can be formed in any configuration, as otherwise described herein. In some examples, a valve can be disposed between the reservoir 226 and the heating element and configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition passed or delivered from the reservoir to the heating element.

[0077] Various examples of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current flows therethrough can be used to form the heating element 228. The heating element in these examples can be a resistive heating element, such as a wire coil, a flat plate, or a microheater. Examples of materials from which the heating element can be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nichrome, nickel, stainless steel, indium tin oxide, tungsten, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum-doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)), titanium, platinum, silver, palladium, alloys of silver and palladium, graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), conductive inks, boron-doped silica, and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). The heating element can be a resistive heating element or a heating element configured to generate heat by induction. The heating element can be coated with a thermally conductive ceramic, such as aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, alumina, silicon nitride, or a composite thereof. Exemplary embodiments of heating elements useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below and can be incorporated into devices such as those described herein.

[0078] An opening 232 may be present in the housing 224 (eg, at the mouth end of the mouthpiece portion) to allow the formed aerosol to be released from the cartridge 104 .

[0079] The cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components, which may include integrated circuits, memory components (e.g., EEPROM, flash memory), sensors, etc. The electronic components may be adapted to communicate with the control component 208 and / or external devices by wired or wireless means. The electronic components can be located anywhere within the cartridge.

[0080] As indicated above, the control component 208 of the control body 102 includes several electronic components and, in some examples, can be formed from a circuit board, such as a PCB, that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. The flow sensor 210 can be one of these electronic components or can be disposed on the circuit board. In some examples, the air flow sensor can include its own circuit board or other base element to which it can be attached. In some examples, a flexible circuit board can be utilized. Flexible circuit boards can be configured in a variety of shapes. In some examples, the flexible circuit board can be combined with, laminated on, or form part or all of a heater substrate.

[0081] The reservoir 226 shown in FIG. 2 can be a container, as currently described, or can be a fibrous reservoir. For example, in this example, the reservoir can include one or more layers of nonwoven fibers formed into a tubular shape that substantially surrounds the interior of the housing 224. The aerosol precursor composition can be held within the reservoir. For example, the liquid component can be sorptively held by the reservoir. The reservoir can be fluidly connected to a liquid transport element 230. The liquid transport element can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored within the reservoir via capillary action or a micropump to a heating element 228, which in this example is in the form of a metal wire coil. In this manner, the heating element is in a heating configuration with the liquid transport element.

[0082] In some examples, a microfluidic chip may be embedded in the reservoir 226, and the amount and / or mass of the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir may be controlled by a micropump, such as one based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Further examples of reservoir and transport element embodiments useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are described further herein, and such reservoir and / or transport elements can be incorporated into devices as described herein. In particular, certain combinations of heating elements and transport elements as described further herein can be incorporated into devices as described herein.

[0083] In use, when a user inhales on the aerosol delivery device 100, airflow is detected by the flow sensor 210 and the heating element 228 is activated to vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition. Inhalation at the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device causes ambient air to enter and pass through the aerosol delivery device. In the cartridge 104, the inhaled air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is removed, aspirated, or drawn from the heating element and expelled out of the opening 232 at the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0084] For further details regarding embodiments of aerosol delivery devices including a control body and cartridge for electronic cigarettes, see the above-mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 836,086 to Sur, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 916,834 to Sur et al., as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 916,696 to Sur, filed March 9, 2018, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 171,920 to Aller et al., filed October 26, 2018, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0085] 3-6 illustrate embodiments of aerosol delivery devices including a control body and an aerosol source member for non-combustion heated devices. More specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates an aerosol delivery device 300 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery device may include a control body 302 and an aerosol source member 304. In various embodiments, the aerosol source member and the control body can be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship. In this regard, FIG. 3 illustrates the aerosol delivery device in a coupled configuration, and FIG. 4 illustrates the aerosol delivery device in a separated configuration.

[0086] 4, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol source member 304 may include a heated end 406 configured to be inserted into the control body 302 and a mouth end 408 that a user inhales to create the aerosol. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the heated end may include an aerosol precursor composition 410.

[0087] In various embodiments, the aerosol source member 304, or a portion thereof, may be encased in an outer overwrap material 412, which may be formed from any material useful for providing additional structure and / or support for the aerosol source member. In various embodiments, the outer overwrap material may include a material that resists heat transfer and may include other fibrous materials, such as paper or cellulose materials. The outer overwrap material may also include at least one filler material embedded or dispersed within the fibrous material. In various embodiments, the filler material may have the form of water-insoluble particles. Additionally, the filler material may incorporate inorganic components. In various embodiments, the outer overwrap may be formed from multiple layers, such as an underlying bulk layer and an overlying layer, such as a typical cigarette wrapper. Such materials may include, for example, lightweight "waste fibers" such as flax, hemp, sisal, rice straw, and / or esparto. The outer overwrap may also include materials commonly used in conventional cigarette filter elements, such as cellulose acetate. Additionally, the excess length of overlap at the mouth end 408 of the aerosol source member may function simply to separate the aerosol precursor composition 410 from the consumer's mouth, or to provide space for placement of a filter material, to affect inhalation at the article, or to affect the flow characteristics of the vapor or aerosol exiting the device during inhalation, as described below. Further discussion regarding configurations for overlap materials that can be used with the present disclosure can be found in the above-cited U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al.

[0088] In various embodiments, other components may be present between the aerosol precursor composition 410 and the mouth-end 408 of the aerosol source member 304; the mouth-end may include a filter 414, which may be made of, for example, a cellulose acetate or polypropylene material. The filter may additionally or alternatively include strands of tobacco-containing material, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,814 to Raker et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In various embodiments, the filter may enhance the structural integrity of the mouth-end of the aerosol source member and / or provide filtering capabilities as needed and / or resistance to suction. In some embodiments, one or any combination of the following may be disposed between the aerosol precursor composition and the mouth-end: an air gap, a phase change material for cooling air, a flavor-releasing medium, ion-exchange fibers capable of selective chemical adsorption, aerogel particles as a filtration medium, and other suitable materials.

[0089] Various embodiments of the present disclosure use one or more electrically conductive heating elements to heat the aerosol precursor composition 410 of the aerosol source member 304. In various implementations, the heating elements may be provided in various forms, such as in the form of a foil, foam, mesh, hollow ball, half-ball, disk, spiral, fiber, wire, film, thread, strip, ribbon, or cylinder. Such heating elements often comprise a metallic material and are configured to generate heat as a result of electrical resistance associated with the passage of electric current. Such resistive heating elements may be positioned in direct contact with or in close proximity to the aerosol source member, particularly the aerosol precursor composition of the aerosol source member. The heating elements may be located within the control body and / or the aerosol source member. In various embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include components embedded in or otherwise part of a substrate portion that can act as or facilitate the function of a heating assembly (i.e., heat-conducting components). Some examples of various heating members and elements are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al.

[0090] Some non-limiting examples of various heating element configurations include configurations in which the heating element is located proximate to the aerosol source member 304. For example, in some examples, at least a portion of the heating element may surround at least a portion of the aerosol source member. In other examples, one or more heating elements may be positioned adjacent to the exterior of the aerosol source member when inserted into the control body 302. In other examples, at least a portion of the heating element may penetrate at least a portion of the aerosol source member when inserted into the control body (e.g., one or more prongs and / or spikes that penetrate the aerosol source member, etc.). In some examples, the aerosol precursor composition may include a structure in contact with the aerosol precursor composition, or a plurality of beads or particles embedded in the aerosol precursor composition, or a portion of the aerosol precursor composition, that may act as a heating element or facilitate the function of the heating element.

[0091] Figure 5 shows a front view of an aerosol delivery device 300 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the aerosol delivery device of Figure 5. In particular, the control body 302 of the illustrated embodiment can include a housing 516 including an opening 518 defined in an engagement end thereof, a flow sensor 520 (e.g., a puff sensor or pressure switch), a control component 522 (e.g., processing circuitry, etc.), a power source 524 (e.g., a battery, a supercapacitor), and an end cap including a light source 526 (e.g., an LED). The power source may be rechargeable, and the control body may include a charging circuit coupled to the power source and configured to controllably charge the power source.

[0092] In one embodiment, light source 526 can include one or more LEDs, quantum dot-based LEDs, etc. The light source can be in communication with control component 522 and, when coupled to control body 302, can be illuminated when a user inhales on aerosol source member 304, for example, as detected by flow sensor 520.

[0093] The control body 302 of the illustrated embodiment includes one or more heating assemblies 528 (individually or collectively referred to as heating assemblies) configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition 410 of the aerosol source member 304. While the heating assemblies of various embodiments of the present disclosure can take various forms, in the specific embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the heating assembly includes an outer cylinder 530 and a heating element 532 (aerosol generating component), which in this embodiment includes multiple heater prongs extending from a receiving base 534 (in various configurations, the heating assembly, or more specifically, the heater prongs, may be referred to as heaters). In the illustrated embodiment, the outer cylinder includes a double-walled vacuum tube constructed of stainless steel to maintain heat generated by the heater prongs within the outer cylinder, and more specifically, within the aerosol precursor composition. In various embodiments, the heater prongs may be constructed of one or more electrically conductive materials, including, but not limited to, copper, aluminum, platinum, gold, silver, iron, steel, brass, bronze, graphite, or any combination thereof.

[0094] As shown, the heating assembly 528 may extend proximate the engagement end of the housing 516 and may be configured to substantially surround a portion of the heated end 406 of the aerosol source member 304 containing the aerosol precursor composition 410. In this manner, the heating assembly may define a generally tubular configuration. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the heating element 532 (e.g., multiple heater prongs) is surrounded by the outer cylinder 530 to create a receiving chamber 536. In this manner, in various embodiments, the outer cylinder may comprise a non-conductive, insulating material and / or structure, including, but not limited to, an insulating polymer (e.g., plastic or cellulose), glass, rubber, ceramic, porcelain, a double-walled vacuum structure, or any combination thereof.

[0095] In some embodiments, one or more portions or components of the heating assembly 528 may be combined, packaged, and / or integrated with (e.g., embedded within) the aerosol precursor composition 410. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may be formed of materials such as those described above and may include one or more electrically conductive materials mixed therein. In some of these embodiments, contacts may be directly connected to the aerosol precursor composition such that the contacts electrically connect with the electrical energy source when the aerosol source member is inserted into the receiving chamber of the control body. Alternatively, the contacts may be integral with the electrical energy source and may extend into the receiving chamber such that the contacts electrically connect with the aerosol precursor composition when the aerosol source member is inserted into the receiving chamber of the control body. Due to the presence of electrically conductive materials in the aerosol precursor composition, application of power from the electrical energy source to the aerosol precursor composition allows current to flow and thus generate heat from the electrically conductive material. Thus, in some embodiments, the heating element may be described as integral with the aerosol precursor composition. As a non-limiting example, graphite or other suitable conductive material may be mixed with, embedded in, or otherwise directly present on or in the material forming the aerosol precursor composition to integrate the heating element with the medium.

[0096] As mentioned above, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer cylinder 530 may also serve to facilitate proper positioning of the aerosol source member 304 when the aerosol source member is inserted into the housing 516. In various embodiments, the outer cylinder of the heating assembly 528 may engage an inner surface of the housing to provide alignment of the heating assembly relative to the housing. As a result of the fixed connection between the heating assemblies, the longitudinal axis of the heating assembly may thereby extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. In particular, the support cylinder may extend from the housing opening 518 to the receiving base 534 to create the receiving chamber 536.

[0097] The heated end 406 of the aerosol source member 304 is sized and configured for insertion into the control body 302. In various embodiments, the receiving chamber 536 of the control body can be characterized as being defined by a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining the interior volume of the receiving chamber. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer cylinder 530 defines an inner surface that defines the interior volume of the receiving chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner diameter of the outer cylinder may be slightly larger than or approximately equal to the outer diameter of the corresponding aerosol source member (e.g., to create a snug fit), such that the outer cylinder is configured to guide the aerosol source member into an appropriate position (e.g., a lateral position) relative to the control body. Thus, the maximum outer diameter (or other dimension, depending on the particular cross-sectional shape of the embodiment) of the aerosol source member can be sized to be smaller than the inner diameter (or other dimension) of the inner surface of the wall of the open end of the receiving chamber within the control body. In some embodiments, the difference in their respective diameters may be small enough that the aerosol source member fits snugly into the receiving chamber, and frictional forces prevent the aerosol source member from being moved without an applied force, while the difference may be sufficient to allow the aerosol source member to slide in and out of the receiving chamber without the need for excessive force.

[0098] In the illustrated embodiment, the control body 302 is configured such that, when the aerosol source member 304 is inserted into the control body, the heating element 532 (e.g., heater prongs) are positioned approximately radially centered over at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition 410 at the heated end 406 of the aerosol source member. In this manner, when used with a solid or semi-solid aerosol precursor composition, the heater prongs may be in direct contact with the aerosol precursor composition. In other embodiments, such as when used with an extruded aerosol precursor composition that defines a tubular structure, the heater prongs may be positioned inside a cavity defined by the inner surface of the extruded tubular structure and do not contact the inner surface of the extruded tubular structure.

[0099] During use, a consumer initiates heating of the heating assembly 528, particularly the heating element 532 adjacent to the aerosol precursor composition 410 (or a particular layer thereof). Heating of the aerosol precursor composition releases the inhalable substance within the aerosol source member 304, creating the inhalable substance. When the consumer inhales into the mouth end 408 of the aerosol source member, air is drawn into the aerosol source member through an air intake 538, such as an opening or aperture in the control body 302. The combination of the drawn-in air and the released inhalable substance is inhaled by the consumer as the drawn-in substance exits the mouth end of the aerosol source member. In some embodiments, to initiate heating, the consumer can manually activate a push button or similar component that causes the heating element of the heating assembly to receive electrical energy from a battery or other energy source. The electrical energy may be supplied for a predetermined length of time or may be manually controlled.

[0100] In some embodiments, the flow of electrical energy does not proceed substantially during a puff of device 300 (although the flow of energy may proceed to maintain a baseline temperature higher than ambient temperature—e.g., a temperature that facilitates rapid heating to an active heating temperature). However, in the illustrated embodiment, heating is initiated by the consumer's puffing action through the use of one or more sensors, such as flow sensor 520. When puffing ceases, heating ceases or decreases. When the consumer has taken a sufficient number of puffs to release a sufficient amount of inhalable substance (e.g., a sufficient amount equivalent to a typical smoking experience), aerosol source member 304 may be detached from control body 302 and discarded. In some embodiments, additional sensing elements, such as capacitive sensing elements and other sensors, may be used, as discussed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 707,461 to Phillips et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0101] In various embodiments, the aerosol source member 304 may be formed of any material suitable for forming and maintaining a suitable conformation, such as a tubular shape, and for retaining the aerosol precursor composition 410 therein. In some embodiments, the aerosol source member may be formed of a single wall, or in other embodiments, multiple walls, and may be formed of a material (natural or synthetic) that is heat-resistant so as to retain its structural integrity—e.g., not deteriorate—at least at the heating temperatures provided by the electric heating element, as discussed further herein. In some embodiments, a heat-resistant polymer may be used, while in other embodiments, the aerosol source member may be formed of paper, such as substantially straw-shaped paper. As discussed further herein, the aerosol source member may have one or more layers associated therewith that serve to substantially prevent the transfer of vapor therethrough. In one example embodiment, an aluminum foil layer may be laminated to one surface of the aerosol source member. Ceramic materials may also be used. In further embodiments, insulating materials may be used to prevent unnecessary transfer of heat from the aerosol precursor composition. Further exemplary types of components and materials that may be used to provide the above-described functions or that may be used as substitutes for the above-described materials and components are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 00186757 to Crooks et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 00186757 to Crooks et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0041861 to Sebastian et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0102] In the illustrated embodiment, the control body 302 includes a control component 522 that controls various functions of the aerosol delivery device 300, including providing power to the electric heating element 532. For example, the control component can include a processing circuit (which may be connected to additional components, as described further herein) connected to the power source 524 by conductive wires (not shown). In various embodiments, the processing circuit can control when and how the heating assembly 528, particularly the heater prongs, receives electrical energy to heat the aerosol precursor composition 410 for release of the inhalable substance for inhalation by the consumer. In some embodiments, such control can be activated by a flow sensor 520, as described in more detail above.

[0103] As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the heating assembly 528 of the illustrated embodiment comprises an outer cylinder 530 extending from a receiving base 534 and a heating element 532 (e.g., a plurality of heater prongs). In some embodiments, such as those in which the aerosol precursor composition 410 comprises a tubular structure, the heater prongs may be configured to extend into a cavity defined by the interior surface of the aerosol precursor composition. In other embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment in which the aerosol precursor composition comprises a solid or semi-solid, the plurality of heater prongs are configured to penetrate the aerosol precursor composition contained in the heated end 406 of the aerosol source member 304 when the aerosol source member is inserted into the control body 302. In such embodiments, one or more of the components of the heating assembly, including the heater prongs and / or the receiving base, may be constructed of a non-stick or stick-resistant material, such as certain aluminum, copper, stainless steel, carbon steel, and ceramic materials. In other embodiments, one or more of the components of the heating assembly, including the heater prongs and / or receiving base, may include a non-stick coating, including, for example, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating such as Teflon®, or other coatings such as a stick-resistant enamel coating, or a ceramic coating such as Greblon®, or Thermolon™.

[0104] Furthermore, while the illustrated embodiment has multiple heater prongs 532 substantially evenly distributed around the receiving base 534, it should be noted that in other embodiments, any number of heater prongs, including one, can be used in any other suitable spatial configuration. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the length of the heater prongs may vary. For example, in some embodiments, the heater prongs may include small protrusions, while in other embodiments, the heater prongs may extend any portion of the length of the receiving chamber 536, including up to about 25%, up to about 50%, up to about 75%, and up to about the entire length of the receiving chamber. In still other embodiments, the heating assembly 528 may have other configurations. Examples of other heater configurations that may be adapted for use in the present invention in accordance with the above discussion are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,894 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,498 to Deevi et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,498 to Sprinkel et al. No. 5,228,460 to Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,075 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,813 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,936 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,850 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,656 to Das, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,855 to Das, U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,225 to Hajaligol, U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,692 to Das et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0105] In various embodiments, the control body 302 may include an air intake 538 (e.g., one or more openings or apertures) therein to allow ambient air to enter the interior of the receiving chamber 536. Thus, in some embodiments, the receiving base 534 may also include an air intake. Thus, in some embodiments, when a consumer inhales on the mouth-end of the aerosol source member 304, air may be drawn through the air intakes in the control body and receiving base into the receiving chamber, enter the aerosol source member, and through the aerosol precursor composition 410 of the aerosol source member for inhalation by the consumer. In some embodiments, the drawn air carries the inhalable substance through the optional filter 414 and out the opening in the mouth-end 408 of the aerosol source member. With the heating element 532 positioned inside the aerosol precursor composition, the heater prongs may be activated to heat the aerosol precursor composition and release the inhalable substance through the aerosol source member.

[0106] As discussed above, particularly with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , various embodiments of the present disclosure use an electrically conductive heater to heat the aerosol precursor composition 410. Also as discussed above, various other embodiments use an inductive heater to heat the aerosol precursor composition. In some of these embodiments, the heating assembly 528 may be configured as an inductive heater including a transformer with an inductive transmitter and an inductive receiver. In embodiments in which the heating assembly is configured as an inductive heater, the outer cylinder 530 may be configured as an inductive transmitter, and the heating element 532 (e.g., multiple heater prongs) extending from the receiving base 534 may be configured as an inductive receiver. In various embodiments, one or both of the inductive transmitter and the inductive receiver may be located within the control body 302 and / or the aerosol source member 304.

[0107] In various embodiments, the outer cylinder 530 and heating element 532 as the induction transmitter and receiver may be constructed of one or more conductive materials, and in further embodiments, the induction receiver may be constructed of a ferromagnetic material, including, but not limited to, cobalt, iron, nickel, and combinations thereof. In one example embodiment, the foil material is constructed of a conductive material, and the heater prongs are constructed of a ferromagnetic material. In various embodiments, the receiving base may be constructed of a non-conductive and / or insulating material.

[0108] The outer cylinder 530 as an induction transmitter can include a laminate having a foil material surrounding a support cylinder. In some embodiments, the foil material can include electrical traces printed thereon, for example, one or more electrical traces that can form a spiral coil pattern when the foil material is placed around the heating element 532 as an induction receiver. The foil material and the support cylinder can each define a tubular configuration. The support cylinder can be configured to support the foil material so that it does not contact the heater prongs and thereby short-circuit with them. In this manner, the support cylinder can include a non-conductive material that can be substantially transparent to the oscillating magnetic field generated by the foil material. In various embodiments, the foil material can be embedded or otherwise coupled within the support cylinder. In the illustrated embodiment, the foil material engages the outer surface of the support cylinder, but in other embodiments, the foil material can be disposed on the inner surface of the support cylinder or can be completely embedded within the support cylinder.

[0109] The foil material of the outer cylinder 530 can be configured to create an oscillating magnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field that changes periodically with time) when an alternating current is directed therethrough. The heater prongs of the heating element 532 can be at least partially disposed or received within the outer cylinder and comprise an electrically conductive material. By directing an alternating current through the foil material, eddy currents can be generated in the heater prongs by induction. The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material defining the heater prongs can heat them by Joule heating (i.e., through the Joule effect). The heater prongs can be wirelessly heated to form an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition 410 positioned proximate to the heater prongs.

[0110] Other embodiments of aerosol delivery devices, control bodies and aerosol source members are described in the above-mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 916,834 to Sur et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 916,696 to Sur et al., and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 836,086 to Sur et al.

[0111] As mentioned above, example embodiment aerosol delivery devices may include various electronic components in the context of an e-cigarette, a heated electronic cigarette, or a non-combustion heated device, or even in the case of a device that includes the functionality of both an e-cigarette and a non-combustion heated device. Figures 7 and 8 show circuit diagrams of aerosol delivery devices 700, 800 that may be functional or incorporate the functionality of any one or more of aerosol delivery devices 100, 300, according to various example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0112] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, aerosol delivery devices 700, 800 include a control body 702 having a control component 704 (with processing circuitry 706) and a power source 708, which may correspond to or include the functionality of control body 102, 302, control component 208, 522, and power source 212, 524, respectively. The aerosol delivery device also includes a heating element 710, which may correspond to or include the functionality of heating element 228, 534. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device, particularly the control body, includes a terminal 712 configured to connect the power source 704 to the aerosol delivery device, or particularly the control body, where the power source is configured to provide an output voltage. The control body may include a second terminal 714 configured to connect the heating element, or the heating element, to the control body.

[0113] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 700, 800 includes a sensor 716 that may correspond to or include functionality of sensors 210, 520. The sensor may be a pressure sensor configured to generate a measurement of pressure caused by airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device or to otherwise receive input indicative of use of the aerosol delivery device. The sensor is configured to convert the measurement / user input into a corresponding electrical signal, which may include analog-to-digital conversion. In some examples, the sensor may be a digital sensor, such as a digital pressure sensor, some suitable examples of which are manufactured by Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

[0114] The processing circuitry 706 may be configured to switchably connect the output voltage from the power supply 708 to a load 718 including the heating element 710, thereby powering the heating element. More specifically, for example, the processing circuitry may be configured to receive a corresponding electrical signal from the sensor 716 and, in response, connect the power supply to the load including the heating element, thereby powering the heating element. The processing circuitry may be configured to process the corresponding electrical signal to determine an on / off state and may modulate the switched connection of the output voltage of the power supply to the load in proportion to measurements / user inputs generated by the sensor.

[0115] In some examples, the control component 704 is coupled to the power supply 706 and the heating element 710 (or a load including the heating element) and further includes a switch 720, such as a high-side load switch (LS), controllable by the processing circuit 706 between the power supply 706 and the heating element 710 (or a load including the heating element), to connect and disconnect the output voltage from the power supply 708 to the load including the heating element. In some more specific examples, the processing circuit may be configured to output a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal during a heating period to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect the output voltage (of the power supply) to power the heating element. The heating period may be initiated by a user puffing, causing airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device 700. The PWM signal includes pulses during which the output voltage to the heating element can be connected and between which the output voltage to the heating element can be disconnected.

[0116] In some examples, the processing circuit 706 may calculate the heating current I through the heating element 710. HEATER , the heating voltage across the heating element V HEATER , and / or the output voltage V from the power supply 708 OUTPUT7. The heating current can be measured in a number of different ways, such as from a current sense circuit 722, as shown in FIG. 7. Similarly, the heating voltage can be measured in a number of different ways, such as using a voltage divider 724 configured to reduce the heating voltage to the processing circuitry, as also shown in FIG. 7. Also shown, in both FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the aerosol delivery device may be configured such that the processing circuitry receives the output voltage V from the power supply 708. OUTPUT In some examples, the processing circuitry may operate on the actual heating current, heating voltage, and / or output voltage (or a reduced voltage), or the processing circuitry may include one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) configured to convert the actual currents and voltages to their respective digital equivalents.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 8, in some examples, the processing circuitry 706 of the aerosol delivery device 800 may generate a known current I KNOWN to the heating element 710, which may be a fixed current in some examples. In some of these examples, this known current may be a heating current I through the heating element 710. HEATER , in which case the processing circuitry can measure the heating current without the current sense circuitry 722. Also, in some of these examples, the known current may be current limited, such as by use of an appropriate current limiting circuitry 826.

[0118] 8, the heating element 710 may have a resistance that is variable and proportional to the temperature of the heating element. The processing circuitry then calculates a known current I KNOWN to the heating element 710, and the voltage across the heating element between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal, i.e., the heating voltage V HEATER 9 illustrates an example PWM signal 900 including a pulse 902 over which the output voltage V to the heating element is measured. OUTPUTcan be connected and the output voltage to the heating element can be disconnected during pulse 902. KNOWN V between pulses when is output to the heating element HEATER 10 shows an example PWM signal superimposed with a measurement of 1. The pulse itself generates a voltage across the heating element, and the known current may be selected so that that voltage is less than half the output voltage provided by the power supply.

[0119] In some examples, pulses 902 of known current may be interspersed between pulses of the PWM signal 900. In some of these examples, the processing circuitry 706 calculates the voltage V across the heating element for each of the pulses. HEATER may be configured to measure

[0120] Returning to FIG. 8, the processing circuitry 706 calculates the resistance R of the heating element based on the known current and voltage as follows: HEATER may be configured to calculate: R HEATER =V HEATER / I KNOWN (1) The processing circuitry then calculates the temperature T of the heating element based on the resistance, such as according to: HEATER can be calculated as: T HEATER =T NOM +((R NOM ×R HEATER ) / (TCR×R NOM ))(2) In the above, T NOM is the ambient or nominal temperature of the heating element, and R NOM is T NOM is the nominal resistance of the heating element at 1000 kJ / s, and TCR is the temperature coefficient of resistance of the heating element.

[0121] In some examples, the processing circuit 706 can calculate the temperature of the heating element 710 for each pulse 902 of known current over the heating period. The processing circuit can begin when the heating period is initiated, such as in response to a user puffing, which causes airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device, which can be measured by the sensor 716. This allows the aerosol delivery device to address any residual heat in the heating element from the previous heating period.

[0122] The processing circuit 706 may further be configured to adjust the duty cycle of the PWM signal 900 when the temperature deviates from the predetermined target. This may include processing circuitry configured to increase or decrease the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature falls below or exceeds the predetermined target, respectively. That is, the processing circuitry may increase the duty cycle when the temperature falls below the predetermined target and decrease the duty cycle when the temperature exceeds the predetermined target. In some examples, the processing circuitry may repeatedly calculate the temperature of the heating element over a heating period. The processing circuitry may begin when a heating period is initiated, such as in response to a user puffing, which causes airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device, as may be measured by the sensor 716. This allows the aerosol delivery device to address any residual heat in the heating element from a previous heating period.

[0123] In some examples, the target may be a target setpoint temperature. In other examples, the target may be a range of temperatures. An example of a suitable temperature range is reflected by a target setpoint temperature + / - an allowable tolerance from the target setpoint temperature. A suitable temperature range may also be used to reflect an amount of added hysteresis. In some of these examples, the processing circuit 706 may increase the duty cycle when the temperature is below a first target setpoint temperature and decrease the duty cycle when the temperature is above a second target setpoint temperature that is higher than the first target setpoint temperature.

[0124] In some examples, the target may change over time according to a temperature or power control profile that may be applied during use. In some examples, the target may change or be otherwise variable according to a measurement of pressure caused by airflow through at least a portion of the housing of the aerosol delivery device 700 (e.g., housing 206, 516) generated by sensor 716. In more specific examples, the target may be variable according to a predetermined relationship between pressure and target. Examples of suitable predetermined relationships can be described by a step function, a linear function, a nonlinear function, or a combination thereof.

[0125] In some examples, the heating period may be divided into multiple portions, and the target may be different for the different portions. The target may include a first target setpoint temperature or profile for a first portion of the heating period after the heating period begins, and a second target setpoint temperature or profile for a second portion of the heating period. In a more specific example, the target may include a target setpoint temperature for the first portion of the heating period and a profile where the target varies with pressure for the second portion of the heating period.

[0126] In some examples, outside of the heating period when the PWM signal is not present and the output voltage to the heating element 710 is disconnected, the processing circuit 706 may be further configured to output a second pulse of known current to the heating element and measure a second voltage across the heating element. The processing circuit may calculate the known current I, such as according to equation (1) above. KNOWN and a second voltage V HEATER Based on the nominal resistance R of the heating element NOM The processing circuitry may be configured to calculate a nominal temperature T of the heating element based on the nominal resistance as follows: NOM can be calculated as: T NOM =(((R NOM / R ROOM )-1) / TCR)+T ROOM (3) In equation (3), T ROOM refers to room temperature (e.g., 20°C), and R ROOM is TROOM The nominal temperature refers to the resistance of the heating element at . In other examples, the nominal temperature may be determined using a separate component, such as a pressure sensor, a microcontroller unit (MCU), an independent negative temperature coefficient thermistor (NTC), or an infrared temperature sensor configured to measure temperature directly. Regardless of how the nominal temperature is determined, the processing circuitry may then be configured to calculate the temperature of the heating element further based on the nominal temperature of the heating element, as described above.

[0127] In some examples, the processing circuit 706 of the aerosol delivery device 700, 800 may be further configured to calculate—or repeatedly calculate—the amount of heat in the heating element 710 during a heating period and perform a lockout of the heating element when the amount of heat in the heating element is greater than a threshold amount of heat. This amount of heat may be measured in joules, although heat may also be measured in other units, such as British thermal units (BTUs), calories, etc.

[0128] In some examples, again, the heating period may be initiated by a user puffing, which causes air to flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device 700. In some of these examples, the calculation of the amount of heat in the heating element is based on the heating current I passing through the heating element. HEATER and the heating voltage V across the heating element HEATER 7. Again, the heating current can be measured in a number of different ways, such as from a current sense circuit 722 as shown in FIG. 7. Similarly, the heating voltage can be measured in a number of different ways, such as using a voltage divider 724 configured to reduce the heating voltage to the processing circuit.

[0129] heating current I HEATER and heating voltage V HEATER Regardless of exactly how is measured, in some examples, the processing circuit 706 may be configured to calculate a first amount of heat to be applied to the heating element 710 based on the heating current, the heating voltage, the elapsed time, and the duty cycle of the PWM signal, as follows: Q1=V HEATER ×I HEATER ×Time×Duty(4) In equation (4), Q1 is the first heat quantity, Time is the elapsed time, and Duty is the duty cycle of the PWM signal.

[0130] The processing circuit 706 can be configured to determine a second amount of heat removed from the heating element by forced convection due to airflow caused by the user blowing, which can be represented as Q2. The processing circuit can also be configured to calculate the amount of heat at the heating element based on the first amount of heat and the second amount of heat, for example, according to the following equation (5), where Q HEATER is the amount of heat in the heating element: Q HEATER =Q1-Q2(5)

[0131] In some cases, Q under normal spray conditions HEATER Calculation of Q2 may involve the use of the volumetric flow rate of the puff and therefore the heat loss due to forced convection. The flow rate may be preset or determined from experimental studies or other parametric inputs to the processing circuit 706. The flow rate may be extrapolated by an analog representation of the puff pressure (sensor 716 converts the true pressure to an analog signal) or by adding another sensor that can otherwise provide an analog representation of the airflow through the aerosol delivery device 700, 800. The signal from the sensor can then be used to retrieve the experimentally derived value from a lookup table. One example of a suitable sensor is a MEMS microphone, such as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0128389 by Lamb et al., incorporated herein by reference. Another example of a suitable sensor is an absolute flow meter (or flow sensor) in the flow path configured to measure the volumetric flow rate of the puff and therefore the heat loss due to forced convection.

[0132] The processing circuit 706 of the aerosol delivery device 700, 800 calculates the amount of heat Q in the heating element. HEATERWhen it is greater than the threshold heat quantity, it may be configured to execute a lockout of the heating element 710. The lockout of the heating element can be implemented in several different ways. The processing circuit can suppress the PWM signal to the switch 720, thereby keeping the output voltage from the power supply 708 to the heating element disconnected until the heat quantity of the heating element becomes less than the threshold heat quantity. In some examples, the lockout of the heating element can include a processing circuit configured to interrupt the PWM signal, disconnect the output voltage to the heating element at the switch, and keep the output voltage from the power supply to the heating element disconnected until the heat quantity of the heating element becomes less than the threshold heat quantity.

[0133] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the processing circuit 706 can output an enable signal to a second switch 726 connected between the heating element 710 and the circuit ground, close the second switch, thereby enabling the flow of current through the heating element. Then, the lockout of the heating element can include a processing circuit configured to suppress the enable signal and open the second switch, thereby causing an open circuit state in the heating element. Then, the second switch can remain open until the heat quantity in the heating element becomes less than the threshold heat quantity.

[0134] In some further examples, the lockout of the heating element 710 can further include a processing circuit 706 configured to determine a third heat quantity removed from the heating element by natural convection caused by exposure of the heating element to the ambient air, represented as Q3. This heat removal is often much smaller than the heat removed by forced convection caused by the user's blowing (i.e., Q3 << Q2). The processing circuit can be configured to calculate the remaining heat quantity in the heating element from the heating period based on the heat quantity in the heating element and the third heat quantity according to the following equation (6), where Q HEATER_REMAIN is any remaining heat quantity in the heating element: Q HEATER_REMAIN = Q HEATER - Q3 (6) The processing circuitry may then be configured to keep the output voltage from the power supply 708 to the heating element disconnected until any residual heat in the heating element is reduced to an amount below the threshold heat amount.

[0135] In some examples, the user puff is one of multiple user puffs that also includes a second user puff that causes a second airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device 700 and initiates a second heating period. In some of these examples, between the heating period and the second heating period, the processing circuit 706 may be further configured to determine Q3 and calculate the amount of any residual heat in the heating element 710 from the heating period, such as according to equation (6) above. The processing circuit may then be further configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element during the second heating period based on the amount of any residual heat in the heating element from the heating period, such as according to equation (7): Q HEATER(2) =Q HEATER_REMAIN +Q 1(2) -Q 2(2) (7) In the above, the bracket (2) indicates the amount during the second heating period for the second user's puff.

[0136] Similar to heat loss due to forced convection, in some instances, Q HEATER_REMAIN The calculation of R includes understanding the heat loss Q3 due to exposure of the heating element to the ambient air. HEATER The resistance of can be measured or calculated periodically as above, from which Q3 can be determined as described above. In some instances, Q3 may simply be ignored (Q2 >> Q3) since the heating period may be relatively short compared to the heating period required for ambient losses to be significant.

[0137] In some examples, the processing circuit 706 may include a separate, dedicated processor for powering the heating element 710 and for monitoring (calculating) and implementing a lockout of the heating element. FIG. 11 illustrates the processing circuit 706, which may correspond to processing circuit 1100 in some examples. As shown in FIG. 11, the processing circuit may include a processor 1102 configured to cause a switch 720 to switchably connect and disconnect an output voltage to the heating element to output a PWM signal to power the heating element during a heating period. The processing circuit may also include a second processor 1104 configured to output an enable signal designed to enable the PWM signal to go to the switch. In this regard, the PWM signal and the enable signal may be input to an AND gate 1106 configured to perform a logical AND such that the PWM signal is output only when the enable signal is provided. To implement the lockout in these embodiments, the second processor inhibits the enable signal, thereby causing the AND gate to inhibit the PWM signal to the switch.

[0138] 12 shows a processing circuit 1200 that may correspond to the processing circuit 706 in other examples, particularly in embodiments where the aerosol delivery device 700, 800 includes a second switch 726 connected between the heating element 710 and circuit ground. In these example embodiments, the processor 1102 outputs a PWM signal to cause the switch 720 to switchably connect and disconnect the output voltage to the heating element to power the heating element during heating periods. The second processor 1104 may output an enable signal to the second switch 726 to allow current flow through the heating element and suppress the enable signal during lockout to open the second switch, thereby creating an open-circuit condition for the heating element.

[0139] 13 is a flowchart illustrating various operations in a method 1300 of controlling an aerosol delivery device 700, 800, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in block 1302, the method can include switchably connecting and disconnecting an output voltage to the heating element 710 to power the heating element according to a PWM signal. The PWM signal includes pulses during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and between which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected.

[0140] The method 1300 may include outputting pulses of known current to the heating element and measuring the voltage across the heating element 710 between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal, as shown in block 1304. The method may include calculating a resistance of the heating element based on the known current and voltage, and calculating a temperature of the heating element based on the resistance, as shown in blocks 1306 and 1308. The method may also include adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target, as shown in block 1310.

[0141] 14 is a flowchart illustrating various operations in another method 1400 of controlling an aerosol delivery device 700, 800, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As before, the method can include switchably connecting and disconnecting an output voltage to the heating element 710 to power the heating element according to a PWM signal, as shown in block 1402. Again, the PWM signal includes pulses, during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and during which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected. Also shown, the method further includes calculating the amount of heat in the heating element during the heating period, as shown in blocks 1404 and 1406, and performing a lockout of the heating element when the amount of heat in the heating element is greater than a threshold amount of heat.

[0142] The above description of the use of the article can be applied to the various example embodiments described herein through minor modifications that may be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. However, the above description of use is not intended to limit the use of the article, but is provided to comply with all necessary disclosure requirements of the present disclosure. Any of the elements shown in Figures 1 through 12 or otherwise described above can be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0143] Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. 1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: a power supply configured to provide an output voltage; a heating element capable of being powered to vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol; a switch coupled to the power source and the heating element, the switch being between the power source and the heating element; a processing circuit coupled to the switch and configured to output a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal during a heating period to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect an output voltage to the heating element to power the heating element; Equipped with the PWM signal includes pulses during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and between which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected; The processing circuitry is further configured to calculate a heat amount in the heating element during the heating period and perform a lockout of the heating element when the heat amount in the heating element is greater than a threshold heat amount; the heating period is initiated by a user puff that causes airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device; The processing circuitry configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element includes at least: measuring a heating current through the heating element and a heating voltage across the heating element; calculating a first amount of heat to be applied to the heating element based on the heating current, the heating voltage, the elapsed time, and the duty cycle of the PWM signal; determining a second amount of heat removed from the heating element by forced convection due to airflow caused by the user blowing; Calculating the amount of heat in the heating element based on the first amount of heat and the second amount of heat. The aerosol delivery device includes a processing circuit configured to:

2. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element comprises processing circuitry configured to repeatedly calculate the amount of heat in the heating element during a heating period.

3. The processing circuitry configured to perform the lockout of the heating element includes at least: interrupting the PWM signal to cause the switch to disconnect the output voltage to the heating element; Keeping the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until the amount of heat in the heating element is less than the threshold amount of heat.

10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, comprising a processing circuit configured to:

4. A processing circuit configured to perform the lockout of the heating element includes at least: determining a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air; a processing circuit configured to calculate a residual heat amount in the heating element from the heating period based on the heat amount in the heating element and the third heat amount, and to keep the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until the residual heat amount in the heating element is an amount less than the threshold heat amount; 4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, further comprising:

5. the user puff is one of a plurality of user puffs, including a second user puff that causes a second air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device and initiates a second heating period; Between the heating period and the second heating period, the processing circuitry performs at least determining a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air; Calculate the remaining heat amount in the heating element from the heating period based on the heat amount in the heating element and the third heat amount. further configured as follows:

10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate the amount of heat in the heating element during the second heating period based on the amount of residual heat in the heating element from the heating period.

6. 1. A method of controlling an aerosol delivery device comprising a power source configured to provide an output voltage and a heating element capable of providing power to vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol, comprising: switchably connecting and disconnecting an output voltage to the heating element to power the heating element in accordance with a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal, the PWM signal including pulses during which the output voltage to the heating element is connected and between which the output voltage to the heating element is disconnected; Calculating the amount of heat in the heating element during the heating period; performing a lockout of the heating element when the amount of heat in the heating element is greater than a threshold amount of heat; Including, the heating period is initiated by a user puff that causes airflow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device; Calculating the amount of heat in the heating element involves at least: Measuring a heating current through the heating element and a heating voltage across the heating element; calculating a first amount of heat to be applied to the heating element based on the heating current, the heating voltage, the elapsed time, and the duty cycle of the PWM signal; determining a second amount of heat removed from the heating element by forced convection due to airflow caused by a user blowing; calculating a heat quantity in the heating element based on the first heat quantity and the second heat quantity; A method comprising:

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein calculating the amount of heat in the heating element comprises repeatedly calculating the amount of heat in the heating element during the heating period.

8. Performing a lockout of the heating element is, at a minimum, interrupting the PWM signal to disconnect the output voltage to the heating element; maintaining the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until the amount of heat in the heating element is less than the threshold amount of heat; The method of claim 6, comprising:

9. Performing a lockout of the heating element is, at a minimum, determining a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air; calculating a residual heat quantity in the heating element from the heating period based on the heat quantity in the heating element and the third heat quantity; 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: maintaining the output voltage to the heating element disconnected; and wherein maintaining the output voltage to the heating element disconnected until an amount of residual heat in the heating element is less than a threshold amount of heat.

10. the user puff is one of a plurality of user puffs, including a second user puff that causes a second air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device and initiates a second heating period; Between the heating period and the second heating period, the method includes at least: determining a third amount of heat removed from the heating element by natural convection due to exposure of the heating element to ambient air; calculating a residual heat quantity in the heating element from the heating period based on the heat quantity in the heating element and the third heat quantity; further comprising The method of claim 7 , further comprising calculating the amount of heat in the heating element during the second heating period based on the amount of residual heat in the heating element from the heating period.

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