Smoking product sleeves

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a temperature regulating sleeve for use with a smoking article. In some embodiments, the temperature regulating sleeve can include various components including an outer shell, an inner chamber at least partially defined within the outer shell and configured to receive at least a portion of a smoking article, an opening through the outer shell configured to emit an aerosol, a power source disposed within the outer shell, at least one control component disposed within the outer shell, one or more sensors disposed in communication with the inner chamber, and one or more ventilation components disposed in communication with the inner chamber. In some embodiments, a temperature regulating sleeve according to the present disclosure can provide automatic regulation of the temperature of at least a portion of a smoking article used therewith.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a smoking article, sometimes referred to as a tobacco heating product, and an accessory for a smoking article, which can heat a tobacco material without burning the tobacco material contained in the tobacco heating product.

Background Art

[0002] Many smoking articles have been proposed over the years as improvements or alternatives to smoking products based on burning tobacco for use. Some exemplary alternatives include devices in which a solid or liquid fuel is burned to transfer heat to the tobacco or in which a chemical reaction is used to provide such a heat source. Examples include the smoking articles described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Such devices, generally referred to as smoking articles or tobacco heating products, allow the tobacco material to be heated without significant combustion or burning of the tobacco material.

[0003] The objective of improving or substituting smoking products has typically been to provide the sensation associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. For this purpose, numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile substances or provide the sensation of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without significantly burning tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking products, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art of U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 by Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 by Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. For example, see also the various types of smoking products, aerosol delivery devices and electric heat sources referenced by trade names and commercial sources in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0220232 by Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, further types of smoking products, aerosol delivery devices and electric heat sources referenced by trade names and commercial sources are listed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245659 by DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Other representative cigarettes or smoking products described and, in some cases, commercially available are incorporated herein by reference in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 and U.S. Patent No. 4,947,875 by Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 by Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 by Morgan et al., and U.S. Patent No. U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594, U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 by Higgins et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 by Adams et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 by White, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 by Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 by Nichols, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 by Hon, U.S. Patent No. 7,5 by Kobayashi U.S. Patent No. 13,253, U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 by Hamano, U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 by Shayan, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0095311 by Hon, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006 / 0196518 by Hon, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0126745, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0188490, U.S. Patent Publication2009 / 0188490 by Thorens et al. This includes the specifications described in National Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0272379, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260641 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260642 by Monsees et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008 / 0149118 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0024834 by Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 by Wang, and International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 by Hon.

[0004] In another respect, certain types of cigarettes, such as those marketed by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company under the brand names "Premier" and "Eclipse," incorporate a flammable fuel source (e.g., a carbonaceous fuel element) that generates heat to produce a smoky aerosol. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 by Sensabaugh et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,183,062 by Clearman et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 by Riggs et al., as well as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007 / 0023056 by Cantrell et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007 / 0215167 by Crooks et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007 / 0215168 by Banerjee et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0005] Articles that produce the taste and sensation of smoking, with or without a significant degree of combustion, by heating tobacco, tobacco-derived materials, or other plant-derived materials, suffer from inconsistent and harmful performance characteristics. In some cases, some smoking products, particularly those using conventional rolling paper materials, are also prone to charring of the rolling paper material covering the ignitable fuel source due to the high temperatures achieved by the fuel source in close proximity to the rolling paper material. In general, overheating of smoking products can also cause undesirable charring or combustion of the internal tobacco material. This may reduce the enjoyment of the smoking experience for some consumers and may mask or alter the flavor delivered to the consumer by the aerosol-delivering components of the smoking product. In further examples, conventional types of smoking products may produce relatively significant levels of gases during use, such as carbon monoxide and / or carbon dioxide (e.g., as products of carbon combustion). In yet another example, conventional types of smoking products may have problems with poor performance regarding the aerosolization of aerosol-forming components. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0220232 Specification [Patent Document 6] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245659 [Patent Document 7] U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 [Patent Document 8] U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 [Patent Document 9] U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 [Patent Document 10] U.S. Patent No. 4,947,875 [Patent Document 11] U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 [Patent Document 12] U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 [Patent Document 13] U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 [Patent Document 14] U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 [Patent Document 15] U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 [Patent Document 16] U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 [Patent Document 17] U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 [Patent Document 18] U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 [Patent Document 19] U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 [Patent Document 20] U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 [Patent Document 21] U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 [Patent Document 22] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 23] U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 [Patent Document 24] U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 [Patent Document 25] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0095311 [Patent Document 26] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0196518 [Patent Document 27] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0126745 [Patent Document 28] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0188490 [Patent Document 29] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0272379 [Patent Document 30] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260641 [Patent Document 31] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0260642 [Patent Document 32] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008 / 0149118 [Patent Document 33] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0024884 [Patent Document 34] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 [Patent Document 35] International Publication No. 2010 / 091593 [Patent Document 36] U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 [Patent Document 37] U.S. Patent No. 5,183,062 [Patent Document 38] U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 [Patent Document 39] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0023056 [Patent Document 40] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215167 [Patent Document 41] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215168 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Therefore, it may be desirable to provide smoking products and accessories for smoking products that can provide the sensation of smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without overheating the tobacco material and with advantageous performance characteristics. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This disclosure relates to a sleeve for a smoking item, and more particularly to a temperature-controlled sleeve which may be configured to provide thermal control of a smoking item contained therein. In one aspect of this disclosure, for example, the temperature-controlled sleeve for a smoking item may comprise an outer shell; an inner chamber at least partially defined within the outer shell and configured to receive at least a portion of a smoking item; an opening through the outer shell configured to release an aerosol through the outer shell; a power supply located within the outer shell; at least one control component located within the outer shell; one or more sensors located in communication with the inner chamber; and one or more ventilation components located in communication with the inner chamber, wherein the at least one control component is configured to receive one or more inputs generated by the one or more sensors, the one or more inputs relating to either or both the temperature within the inner chamber and / or the temperature of the airflow within the inner chamber; and the at least one control component is configured to provide an output to one or more ventilation components to automatically adjust the temperature of at least a portion of the smoking item.

[0009] In some embodiments, the outer shell may be provided with an insulating material. In some embodiments, the insulating material may be a ceramic or plastic material. In some embodiments, at least one control component, one or more sensors, and one or more ventilation components are electrically connected. In some embodiments, one or more ventilation components each include an air passage extending through the outer shell and a damper, the damper being configurable between an open position that allows airflow into the inner chamber and a closed position that restricts airflow into the inner chamber. In some embodiments, the position of the damper is configured to be selectively controlled by at least one control component. In some embodiments, the damper may include a thermally responsive material. In some embodiments, the thermally responsive material may be configured to spontaneously change between a closed position and an open position at a substantially selected threshold temperature.

[0010] In some embodiments, one or more sensors may include one or more temperature sensors and one or more flow sensors. In some embodiments, one or more temperature sensors include one or more thermal probes configured to be in a thermal detection relationship with at least a portion of the smoking material when received by the inner chamber. In some embodiments, the temperature control sleeve may further include one or more heaters electrically communicating with at least one control component. In some embodiments, one or more heaters may be configured to be selectively actuated by at least one control component. In some embodiments, one or more heaters are configured to be in a heating relationship with one or more areas of at least a portion of the smoking material when received by the inner chamber. In some embodiments, one or more heaters include one or more thermistors.

[0011] In some embodiments, the temperature control sleeve is located within an outer shell and may further comprise one or more porous structures positioned relative to an opening in the outer shell, such that aerosols exiting through the opening pass through and around one or both of these porous structures. In some embodiments, the one or more porous structures may comprise non-tobacco flavoring liquids, tobacco extracts or distillates, flavoring agents, aerosol precursor compositions, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the power source may comprise one or both of a battery and a capacitor.

[0012] In some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may further include an input element located on the outer surface of the outer shell. In some embodiments, the input element is configured to control the supply of power from a power source to one or more components of the temperature-controlled sleeve, and to control the operation and shutdown of the temperature-controlled sleeve, or both. In some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may further include a feedback element located on the outer surface of the outer shell. In some embodiments, the feedback element may be configured to provide one or more feedbacks relating to the number of smokes taken and / or remaining smokes before the expiration date, the total smoke duration and / or the total remaining smoke duration, a heat map showing temperature gradients at various locations along the smoking item, and warnings about overheating and underheating at various locations along the smoking item.

[0013] This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0014] Embodiment 1: A temperature-controlled sleeve for a smoking product, the temperature-controlled sleeve comprising: an outer shell; an inner chamber at least partially defined within the outer shell and configured to accommodate at least a portion of a smoking product; an opening through the outer shell configured to release an aerosol through the outer shell; a power supply located within the outer shell; at least one control component located within the outer shell; one or more sensors located in communication with the inner chamber; and one or more ventilation components located in communication with the inner chamber, wherein the at least one control component is configured to receive one or more inputs generated by one or more sensors, the one or more inputs relating to either or both the temperature within the inner chamber and / or the temperature of the airflow within the inner chamber; and the at least one control component is configured to provide an output to one or more ventilation components to automatically adjust the temperature in at least a portion of the smoking product.

[0015] Embodiment 2: The temperature-regulating sleeve according to Embodiment 1, wherein the outer shell comprises an insulating material.

[0016] Embodiment 3: A temperature control sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 2, wherein the insulating material is a ceramic or plastic material.

[0017] Embodiment 4: A temperature control sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein at least one control component, one or more sensors, and one or more ventilation components are electrically connected.

[0018] Embodiment 5: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein one or more ventilation components each comprises an air passage extending through an outer shell and a damper, the damper being configurable between an open position that allows airflow into an inner chamber and a closed position that restricts airflow into an inner chamber.

[0019] Embodiment 6: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the position of the damper is configured to be selectively controlled by at least one control component.

[0020] Embodiment 7: A temperature control sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the damper includes a thermally responsive material.

[0021] Embodiment 8: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5 and 7, wherein the thermally responsive material is configured to spontaneously change between a closed position and an open position at a substantially selected threshold temperature.

[0022] Embodiment 9: A temperature control sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein one or more sensors include one or more temperature sensors and one or more flow sensors.

[0023] Embodiment 10: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 9, wherein one or more temperature sensors include one or more thermal probes, the thermal probes being configured to be in thermal detection relationship with at least a portion of the smoking item when received by an inner chamber.

[0024] Embodiment 11: A temperature control sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, further comprising one or more heaters electrically communicating with at least one control component.

[0025] Embodiment 12: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein one or more heaters are configured to be selectively operated by at least one control component.

[0026] Embodiment 13: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein one or more heaters are configured to be in heating relation with one or more areas of at least a portion of the smoking item when received by an inner chamber.

[0027] Embodiment 14: A temperature control sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 13, wherein one or more heaters include one or more thermistors.

[0028] Embodiment 15: A temperature-regulating sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 14, further comprising one or more porous structures disposed within an outer shell and positioned relative to an opening within the outer shell, such that an aerosol exiting through the opening passes through and around one or both of the one or more porous structures.

[0029] Embodiment 16: A temperature-regulating sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 15, wherein one or more porous structures are configured to contain a non-tobacco flavoring liquid, a tobacco extract or distillate, a flavoring agent, an aerosol precursor composition, and combinations thereof.

[0030] Embodiment 17: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the power supply comprises one or both of a battery and a capacitor.

[0031] Embodiment 18: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 17, further comprising an input element disposed on the outer surface of the outer shell.

[0032] Embodiment 19: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the input element is configured to control the supply of power from a power source to one or more components of the temperature-controlled sleeve, and to control the operation and stopping of the temperature-controlled sleeve, or both.

[0033] Embodiment 20: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of embodiments 1 to 19, further comprising a feedback element disposed on the outer surface of the outer shell.

[0034] Embodiment 21: A temperature-controlled sleeve according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, wherein the feedback element is configured to provide feedback regarding the number of puffs taken or remaining until the expiration date, the total puff time or the total puff time remaining until the expiration date, a heat map showing the temperature gradient at various locations along the smoking item, and warnings about overheating and underheating at various locations along the smoking item.

[0035] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the Disclosure will become apparent from reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the embodiments described above, and any combination of any two, three, four, or more features or elements described herein, whether such features or elements are expressly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The Disclosure is intended to be read in whole so that, in any of its various aspects or embodiments, any separable feature or element of the disclosed invention should be considered as combinable unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0036] While the aspects of this disclosure have been described using the general terms above, here we will refer to the attached drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] This shows a side cross-sectional view of a temperature-controlled sleeve for use with smoking products, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] The diagram shows an emphasis on a thermal control component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which includes one or more temperature sensors, one or more flow sensors, one or more heaters, and one or more ventilation components electrically connected to at least one control component and a power supply. [Figure 3] This shows a cutaway perspective view of an exemplary ventilation component, including both an air passage and a damper, through an outer shell, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This shows a side cross-sectional view of a temperature-controlled sleeve for use with smoking products, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] This disclosure is described more fully below with reference to its exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described so as to ensure that this disclosure is thorough and complete and fully conveys the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so as to satisfy the applicable legal requirements of this disclosure. Where used herein and in the appended claims, singular nouns such as “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to multiple subjects unless otherwise explicitly indicated in the context. Also, while this specification may refer to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships, etc., unless otherwise specified, any one or more of these may be absolute or approximate to describe the acceptable variations that may occur, such as those due to technical tolerances.

[0039] As described below, exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to temperature-controlled sleeves for use with smoking products. As used herein, the term “smoking product” is intended to mean an article and / or device that provides many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe (e.g., the form of inhalation and exhalation, the type of taste or flavor, the sensory stimulation effect, the physical sensation, the method of use, the visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol) without any component of the article and / or device being burned to a substantial degree. As used herein, the term “smoking product” does not necessarily mean that the article or device produces smoke in the sense of an aerosol resulting from the byproducts of the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco during operation, but rather that the article or device produces vapor (including vapor in an aerosol that is considered to be a visible aerosol which may be considered to be described as smoky) resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components, elements, etc. of the article and / or device. In some embodiments, the smoking products used herein may be in the form of tobacco heating products (THPs), such as those commonly referred to as non-combustion heating (HNB) devices, carbon tobacco heating products (cTHPs), and electric tobacco heating products (eTHPs). Non-limiting examples of such devices, into which any part or all of this disclosure can be incorporated, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 by Sensabaugh et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,183,062 by Clearman et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 by Riggs et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0023056 by Cantrell et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215167 by Crooks et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215168 by Banerjee et al., all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. While the temperature-controlled sleeves of this disclosure are generally described below in this specification, particularly in embodiments incorporating carbon chip THP products, it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods can be embodied in many different forms and associated with various smoking products as described above.Therefore, it should be understood that the description of the mechanism, components, features, and method of providing a temperature-controlled sleeve for smoking products disclosed herein is described in relation to embodiments relating to carbon chip tobacco heating products, as merely examples, and may be embodied and used with various other smoking products.

[0040] In certain aspects of this disclosure, it may be advantageous to provide a smoking product that is easy to use and provides reusable components. In some embodiments, such a smoking product may include one or more removable cartridges (e.g., including at least a combustible carbonaceous material and a base material such as tobacco) and a holder. Examples of holder and detachable cartridge configurations that may be used with a temperature-controlled sleeve (for example, used as a smoking article as described herein) are U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 035,103, filed July 13, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Detachable Cartridge," U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 515,637, filed July 18, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Consumable Cartridge," U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 516,573, filed July 19, 2019, entitled "Holder for Aerosol Delivery Device with Detachable Cartridge," U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 516,601, filed July 19, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Sliding Sleeve," and "Aerosol Delivery Device with Clamshell Holder for These are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 516,621, entitled "Cartridge", U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 516,821, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Rotatable Enclosure for Cartridge", filed on July 19, and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 516,932, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Separable Heat Source and Substrate", filed on July 19, 2019, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.In some embodiments, one or both of the holder or the removable cartridge (and / or any of their sub-components) may have a variety of shapes, including, but are not limited to, a substantially rectangular shape such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape, a substantially cylindrical shape, a small box shape, various pod mod shapes, fob shapes, and / or various other handheld shapes.

[0041] In some embodiments, these smoking products may be characterized as vaporizers or drug delivery products. Thus, such articles or devices may be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavorings, nicotine, and / or active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance may be substantially in the form of vapor (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For brevity, the term “aerosol” as used herein means including vapors, gases, and aerosols in a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether visible and in a form that can be considered smoke-like.

[0042] As described above, the temperature-controlled sleeve of the present disclosure may, in some embodiments, be configured for use with tobacco heating products, such as those that use an ignitable heat source to heat a material to form an inhalable substance (e.g., a carbon chip heated tobacco product). In such smoking products, the material is generally heated without burning the material to a significant degree. That is, the use of various smoking product components does not result in smoke generation in the sense that the aerosol is mainly produced from by-products of the combustion or thermal decomposition of tobacco; rather, the use of these preferred systems results in vapor generation resulting from the combustion or non-combustion heating of tobacco incorporated therein. In some exemplary embodiments, smoking products suitable for use in the various embodiments further described below herein may be characterized as non-combustion heated cigarettes, which most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form. The smoking product itself may provide many of the sensations of smoking a tobacco, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the act of inhaling and exhaling, the type of taste or flavor, the sensory stimulation effect, the physical feel, the act of use, the visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol) by igniting and burning tobacco without any significant combustion of any of its components. For example, a user of a smoking product according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure (e.g., when used in combination with a temperature-controlled sleeve according to the present disclosure) may hold and use the device in the same way a smoker uses a conventional type of smoking product, inhaling one end of the component to inhale the aerosol produced by the component, and inhaling at selected time intervals.

[0043] Advantageously, the temperature-regulating sleeve according to the present disclosure can be adapted or configured to substantially prevent overheating of a smoking item (e.g., causing undesirable burning of the internal tobacco material and carbonization of the tip paper of the tobacco stick) and / or substantially prevent uneven heating at various locations along the length of the smoking item (e.g., which may result in some parts of the smoking item being overheated and others being underheated). By substantially preventing overheating of the smoking item, the sleeve according to the present disclosure can be useful in reducing or preventing the formation of negative sensory attributes and / or the release of one or more compounds from the tobacco material contained therein, particularly compounds that may result from incomplete combustion (or thermal decomposition) and / or thermal decomposition of tobacco (i.e., heat-generating decomposition). In some embodiments, the temperature-regulating sleeve according to the present disclosure may provide temperature regulation of various smoking items and, in particular, be configured to prevent overheating or carbonization of such smoking items and components provided therein.

[0044] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature control sleeve 100 may comprise an outer shell 102, such as in the embodiment shown in Figure 1. In some embodiments, part or all of the outer shell 102 may comprise a lightweight and / or thermally stable material, such as an insulating material. In some embodiments, for example, the outer shell may provide insulating properties that retain heat within the temperature control sleeve without becoming hot to the touch. In some embodiments, the outer shell may be characterized by being thin-walled. In some embodiments, the outer shell may comprise two or more components, for example, the outer shell 102 may comprise an outer casing 102a and an inner lining 102b, as shown in Figure 1. In such embodiments, one or both of the outer casing and the inner lining may comprise an insulating material. For example, in some embodiments, the inner lining may comprise an insulating material, and the outer casing may comprise a more cost-effective non-insulating material. In some embodiments, the inner lining may be present only in a portion of the inner chamber that houses the smoking item. The type of insulating material used for the outer shell, or outer casing and / or inner lining thereof, may be varied. Generally, suitable materials may include, for example, ceramics, polymer materials, plastic-based materials, carbonaceous materials, etc. In some embodiments, the outer shell or casing may comprise a non-conductive insulating material and / or structure, but is not limited to insulating polymers (e.g., plastic or cellulose), glass, rubber, ceramics, porcelain, double-walled vacuum structures, or any combination thereof. In certain other embodiments, the outer shell or casing may contain a carbonaceous material, such as wood or wood-based composites.

[0045] In some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may include a power supply 104 located within the outer shell 102. For example, the power supply may be in the form of a battery or other power source capable of supplying sufficient current to provide the temperature-controlled sleeve with various functions, such as supplying power to a heating source, supplying power to one or more sensors, supplying power to a control system, or supplying power to an indicator. These and other functions will be further described herein. In some embodiments, the power supply may be adapted or configured to supply sufficient power to power the temperature-controlled sleeve by quickly activating one or more of these components within the temperature-controlled sleeve and using them over a desired period of time. In some embodiments, the power supply is sized to fit conveniently within the temperature-controlled sleeve, for example, so that the temperature-controlled sleeve does not become significantly larger than the smoking product itself, so that the temperature-controlled sleeve can be easily handled. Examples of useful power sources include lithium-ion batteries, which may be rechargeable, such as rechargeable lithium-manganese dioxide batteries. In particular, lithium polymer batteries may be used because such batteries can enhance safety. Other types of batteries, such as N50-AAA CADNICA nickel-cadmium batteries, may be used. Furthermore, the power supply may be sufficiently lightweight so as not to impair the desired smoking experience. Several examples of suitable power supplies are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 by Peckerar et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112191 by Sur et al., filed October 21, 2015, the disclosures thereof, each incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0046] In some embodiments, the power source may include, for example, a solid battery, a thin-film solid battery, a rechargeable supercapacitor, and may be a reusable and / or rechargeable power source that can be combined with any kind of recharging technology, including connection to a wall charger, connection to a car charger, connection to a computer, a solar array of a solar cell, a wireless charger, or other suitable charging connection. For example, in some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may include any of several different terminals, electrical connectors, etc., for connection to a suitable charger, and in some examples, for connection to other peripherals for communication. More specific suitable examples include DC connectors such as cylindrical connectors, cigarette lighter connectors and USB connectors including those specified 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 temperature-controlled sleeve may be connected directly to a charger or other peripheral device, or the two may be connected via a suitable cable that also has appropriate connectors. In the example where the two are connected by a cable, the sleeve and the charger or other peripheral device may have the same or different types of connectors as the cable, which may have one type of connector or both types of connectors.

[0047] In examples involving inductive power supply charging, the temperature-controlled sleeve may be equipped with wireless charging technology. For example, the temperature-controlled sleeve may be configured to support inductive wireless charging technology and may include an inductive transmitter and an inductive receiver for connecting to a wireless charger, charging pad, etc., that uses inductive wireless charging (e.g., wireless charging by the Qi wireless charging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)). Alternatively, the power supply may be recharged from a radio frequency (RF) based charger. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in its entirety by reference in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 by Sur et al.

[0048] One or more connections may be used to connect the power supply to the recharging technology, some of which may include a charging case, cradle, dock, sleeve, etc. More specifically, for example, the outer shell of a temperature-controlled sleeve may be configured to engage with a cradle that includes a USB connector for connecting to a power supply. Alternatively, in another example, the outer shell may be configured to mate into and engage with a sleeve that includes a USB connector for connecting to a power supply. In these and similar examples, the USB connector may be connected directly to the power supply, or the USB connector may be connected to the power supply via a suitable power adapter.

[0049] In some embodiments, the power supply may comprise both a battery and a capacitor. The capacitor can discharge more quickly than the battery, can be charged during smoke absorption, and allows for discharge into the capacitor at a lower rate than when the battery is used to directly power the temperature-controlled sleeve. For example, a supercapacitor, such as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), can be used separately from or in combination with the battery. When used alone, the supercapacitor can be recharged before using the temperature-controlled sleeve. Thus, in some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may also include a charger component that can be attached to the temperature-controlled sleeve during use to replenish the capacitor.

[0050] In one embodiment, the outer shell 102 of the temperature-controlled sleeve may define an inner chamber 106 configured to accommodate at least a portion of a smoking item 108, and a first opening 110 configured for the passage of an aerosol (e.g., an aerosol generated by the smoking item during use). In another embodiment, the outer shell may include a second opening 112 configured to accommodate at least a portion of the smoking item within the inner chamber 106, the smoking item having a mouthpiece end 114 and an ignition end 116 (e.g., a flammable carbon chip if the smoking item is a carbon tobacco heating product, or any other type of heat source). As described above, the inner chamber 106 can accommodate at least a portion of the smoking item, and for example, the inner chamber may be configured to hold at least a first portion 118 of the smoking item internally (e.g., the first portion of the smoking item includes at least a base material such as tobacco material). For example, a smoking item 108 can be inserted into a second opening 112 such that the mouthpiece end 114 of the smoking item is functionally aligned with a first opening 110 of the outer shell. Such functional alignment can be configured such that vapor / aerosol drawn through and / or from the mouthpiece end 114 of the smoking item 108 can be transmitted to and through the first opening 110. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece end 114 of the smoking item may be positioned specifically in close proximity to the first opening 110 of the outer shell. Preferably, once the smoking item 108 is fully inserted into the inner chamber 106, the second portion 120, including the ignition end 116 of the smoking item, is exposed to the outside of the second opening 112 of the outer shell. In some embodiments, the inner chamber may comprise one or more ridges (e.g., as shown in 121 of Figure 1) which are positioned along the inner wall 123 of the outer shell and configured to hold the smoking item in place at least temporarily after insertion into the outer shell. In one embodiment, for example, as shown in Figure 1, a plurality of ridges extend longitudinally along the inner wall 123 of the inner chamber, providing a secure fit when receiving a smoking item.In one embodiment, the inner chamber may additionally or alternatively include one or more depth guides (for example, as shown in 122 of Figure 1) located on the inner wall 123 of the outer shell to prevent the smoking item from being inserted into the inner chamber beyond a predetermined distance.

[0051] It should be noted that the alignment of components within the temperature-controlled sleeve of this disclosure may vary across different embodiments. In various embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve, the components within the temperature-controlled sleeve, and the smoking product used with it may have a variety of overall shapes, including, but not limited to, an overall shape that can be defined as substantially rod-shaped or substantially tubular. In some embodiments, for example, the outer shell and inner chamber may be substantially cylindrical in shape. In other embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve (and / or any sub-components) may have other handheld shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may have a small box shape, a substantially rectangular cuboid shape, various pod-mod shapes, or a fob shape. The temperature-controlled sleeve and the smoking product used with it may have a variety of cross-sectional shapes (e.g., circular, elliptical, square, triangular, etc.), all of which are intended to be covered by this disclosure. Accordingly, any language describing the physical shape of an article may also apply to its individual components in the various embodiments described herein.

[0052] In one embodiment, the temperature-controlled sleeve 100 according to this disclosure may comprise at least one control component 124 located within an outer shell 102 and a thermal control component 126 located in communication with an inner chamber 106 (for example, as shown in Figure 1). As further described herein, the thermal control component may comprise a variety of different individual components in different embodiments, including, but not limited to, one or more sensors (e.g., temperature and / or flow sensors), one or more ventilation components, and / or one or more heaters. Generally, the thermal control component comprises at least one sensor and at least one ventilation component, as further described herein. The at least one control component 124 may be in electrical communication with a power supply 104 and one or more additional components within the temperature-controlled sleeve, as further described herein. In one embodiment, the temperature-controlled sleeve may comprise a plurality of control components that individually or in combination control the functions of specific components within the temperature-controlled sleeve. As further described herein, for example, at least one control component may be configured to receive input data from one or more components in a temperature-controlled sleeve (e.g., input from one or more sensors regarding temperature and / or flow within the sleeve), process the received data, and transmit an output (e.g., in the form of electronic feedback) to one or more components of the temperature-controlled component (e.g., one or more ventilation components and / or one or more heaters) to ultimately perform automatic temperature adjustment of at least a portion of the smoking product.

[0053] A suitable control component may include certain electronic components, which in some cases may be formed from a printed circuit board (PCB). In some cases, the electronic component includes a processing circuit configured to perform data processing, application execution, or other processing, control, or management services according to one or more embodiments. The processing circuit may include a processor that is embodied in various forms, such as a 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 an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or some combination thereof. In some cases, the processing circuit may include memory coupled to or integrated with the processor that can store data, computer program instructions executable by the processor, some combination thereof, and so on.

[0054] In some exemplary embodiments, the control component may include one or more input / output peripherals that can be coupled to or integrated into 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 2016 / 0261020 by 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) from Texas Instruments. Additional examples of suitable methods by which a temperature control sleeve can be configured to wirelessly communicate are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016 / 0007651 by Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016 / 0219933 by Henry, Jr. et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional control configurations and components (e.g., one or more input or feedback elements) are described in more detail below and can be incorporated into embodiments of the temperature-controlled sleeve as described herein.

[0055] As described above, in some embodiments, the thermal control component 126 may include a variety of different components, such as one or more sensors and one or more ventilation components. In some embodiments, the thermal control component and its components may be arranged in communication with the inner chamber 106 of the outer shell so as to be thermally in communication with at least a portion of the first part 118 of the smoking product 108. For example, the thermal control component 126 may be arranged in thermal communication with the first part 108 of the smoking product or with a portion of the smoking product 118 encompassing about 10% to about 90%, about 20% to about 80%, or about 30% to about 70% of the total length of the smoking product. The thermal control component 126 may be a single element or may consist of a plurality of individual elements that together form a component, as shown in Figure 2, for example. As used herein, “thermal control component” refers to any component or combination of components that can automatically regulate the temperature of the first part of the smoking product (for example, by direct / indirect heating, increasing / decreasing airflow in the sleeve, increasing / decreasing temperature in the sleeve, etc.). For example, a thermal control component may include a variety of different individual components or combinations of components, such as one or more temperature sensors and / or one or more flow sensors and / or one or more heaters and / or one or more ventilation components and / or one or more additional components. Such components may be used in a variety of different configurations and combinations, and it should be noted that the specific configurations and / or combinations of components within a thermal control component are not intended to be limited to those specifically presented herein. For example, the selection of specific components for use in a thermal control sleeve may generally be modified depending on the type of smoking material, the type of individual components, the desired functionality of the sleeve, etc.

[0056] In some embodiments, the thermal control component 126 may be electrically connected to at least one control component 124 and / or a power supply 104. In embodiments where the thermal control component 126 comprises a plurality of individual components, for example, some or all of those components may be electrically connected to each other, as well as to at least one control component and a power supply. As shown in Figure 2, for example, dashed lines represent electrical connections between the control component, the power supply, and the various components of the thermal control component (e.g., the overall thermal control component including its various components, highlighted by a box labeled 126). In such embodiments, at least one control component may be configured to control various functions of the temperature control sleeve based on input / feedback from these one or more components forming the overall thermal control component 126. In some embodiments, the thermal control component 126 may include one or more sensors (e.g., one or more temperature sensors 128, one or more flow sensors 130, and a combination thereof) and one or more ventilation components 132.

[0057] In some embodiments, the thermal control component 126 may include one or more temperature sensors 128. In some embodiments, one or more temperature sensors 128 may be electrically connected to at least one control component 124 and optionally one or more additional components in the thermal control sleeve (for example, so that at least one control component receives input regarding the temperature generated by one or more temperature sensors). For example, at least one control component is configured to receive temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors. In some embodiments, one or more temperature sensors are selectively positioned along the inner wall 123 of the outer shell 102. In some embodiments, one or more temperature sensors may include one or more thermal probes configured to be in thermal detection relationship with at least a portion of the smoking material when received by the inner chamber. One or more temperature sensors may be fully or at least partially recessed into the outer shell. However, in some embodiments, portions of individual temperature sensors may extend inward at a distance from the outer shell (i.e., oriented inward toward the inner chamber 106). Examples of temperature sensors within smoking products and their configurations are generally described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 10,117,460 by Sears et al. and U.S. Patent No. 10,226,073 by Bless et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0058] In some embodiments, the thermal control component 126 may additionally or alternatively include one or more flow sensors 130. As used herein, “flow sensor” generally refers to a sensor capable of measuring / detecting airflow, and as used herein, “flow” generally refers to airflow. It should be noted that the flow measured by one or more flow sensors referenced herein generally refers to the airflow across the sensor, more specifically between the inner wall of the outer shell and the smoking item. In some embodiments, one or more flow sensors 130 may be electrically connected to at least one control component 124 and optionally one or more additional components in the thermal control sleeve (for example, so that at least one control component receives input regarding the airflow / flow rate generated by one or more flow sensors). For example, at least one control component can be configured to receive flow readings from one or more flow sensors. In some embodiments, one or more flow sensors may be selectively arranged longitudinally along the inner wall 123 of the outer shell. Examples of airflow sensors within smoking products and their configurations are generally described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 10,117,460 by Sears et al. and U.S. Patent No. 10,226,073 by Bless et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0059] In some embodiments, the thermal control component 126 may include one or more ventilation components 132 communicating with at least one control component 124 and optionally at least one other component within the thermal control sleeve. In some embodiments, each of the ventilation components 132 comprises an air passage 132a extending from the inner wall 123 of the outer shell 102 to the outer wall 125 of the outer shell 102, and a damper 132b (for example, as shown in Figure 3). In some embodiments, the air passage may simply be in the form of a gap, a tubular notch, or a hole penetrating the entire outer shell 102. For example, the straight dashed line in Figure 3 represents the gap between the outer wall 125 and the inner wall 123 of the outer shell 102 that forms the air passage 132a. In some embodiments, the damper 132b may be in the form of a gate, flap, or retractable component that can temporarily block the air passage.

[0060] In some embodiments, the damper can be configured between an open position that allows airflow into and out of the inner chamber (through the air passage) and a closed position that restricts airflow into the inner chamber (through the air passage). Generally, the damper is considered to be in the open position when the air passage is at least partially open, allowing at least some airflow into the inner chamber through the air passage. For example, the damper may be configured in the open position such that at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or substantially all (100%) of the air passage is not obstructed. In some embodiments, the degree of occlusion of the air passage may be controlled by at least one control component based on a desired flow rate of air entering and leaving the temperature control sleeve. The movement of the damper 132b between the open (or partially open) and closed positions according to an exemplary embodiment is represented by a dashed ellipse in Figure 3, indicating that the damper may be rotatable along a single axis so that it can be configured to be either in the open (including partially open) or closed position. Such a configuration is not limiting, and for example, in one embodiment, the damper may be retracted into the outer shell to provide an air passage that is not completely obstructed when the damper is 100% open.

[0061] In one embodiment, for example, the position of the damper is configured to be selectively controlled by at least one control component based on temperature and / or flow rate readings received from one or more temperature sensors and / or one or more flow sensors (for example, at least one control component is configured to receive inputs regarding temperature and / or airflow generated by one or more sensors and to provide outputs to one or more ventilation components to automatically adjust the temperature of at least one part of the smoking product). For example, if the temperature in the temperature-controlled sleeve exceeds a threshold amount, at least one control component may automatically adjust the temperature of the smoking product by opening one or more of the ventilation components. Similarly, if the temperature in the temperature-controlled sleeve falls below a threshold amount, at least one control component may automatically adjust the temperature of the smoking product by closing one or more of the ventilation components (for example, to retain more heat in the sleeve). The adjustment and / or control of the damper is not limited by such control configurations, and other control configurations are possible. For example, the operation of the dampers and their control configurations may be modified depending on the nature of the smoking product used with them. For example, in certain embodiments where the smoking product contains potentially flammable materials, it may be advantageous to (at least partially) close the damper to suppress the approach of oxygen to the flammable materials. In such embodiments, a temperature sensor may function, for example, as an indicator of nascent, undesirable combustion.

[0062] The threshold temperature at which at least one control component can bring about automatic temperature adjustment of the first part of the smoking product may be modified depending on the desired application of the temperature-controlled sleeve. In some embodiments, for example, it may be advantageous that the threshold temperature is approximately equal to the lowest temperature at which undesirable pyrolysis or combustion byproducts are formed. Thus, the threshold temperature may be modified based on the type of smoking product used with the temperature-controlled sleeve. In some embodiments, the threshold temperature may be in the range of about 100°C to about 300°C, or about 150°C to about 200°C. In some embodiments, the threshold temperature may be less than 250°C, less than 225°C, less than 200°C, less than 175°C, less than 150°C, or less than 125°C.

[0063] In other embodiments, the damper may be in the form of a thermoresponsive material that is fully or at least partially activated at a predetermined temperature. In such embodiments, the thermoresponsive material may be configured to change from a closed position to an open position (or a partially open position) and vice versa when the surface temperature of the thermoresponsive material exceeds a threshold temperature (for example, to automatically regulate the temperature of a first part of a smoking item). Suitable exemplary thermoresponsive materials may include, but are not limited to, thermoresponsive polymer materials, thermoresponsive thermoplastic materials, thermoresponsive metallic materials, and double-layered metallic materials.

[0064] The threshold temperature at which the thermally responsive material is triggered may be modified depending on the desired application of the temperature-controlled sleeve. In some embodiments, for example, it may be advantageous for the threshold temperature to be approximately equal to the lowest temperature at which undesirable thermal decomposition or combustion byproducts are formed. Thus, the threshold temperature may be modified based on the type of smoking material used with the temperature-controlled sleeve. In some embodiments, the threshold temperature may be in the range of about 100°C to about 300°C, or about 150°C to about 200°C. In some embodiments, the threshold temperature may be less than 250°C, less than 225°C, less than 200°C, less than 175°C, less than 150°C, or less than 125°C.

[0065] In some embodiments, the thermoresponsive material may comprise a shape memory material. In some embodiments, the shape memory material may be a shape memory alloy. In other embodiments, the shape memory material may be a shape memory polymer. A description of shape memory alloys can be found in U.S. Patent No. 10,080,388 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0174500 by Sebastian et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Shape memory alloys generally refer to a group of metallic materials that exhibit the ability to return to some previously defined shape or size when subjected to appropriate stimuli, which may vary across various embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the stimuli may comprise a change in temperature. In other embodiments, the stimuli may comprise a change in an electric or magnetic field. In other embodiments, the stimuli may comprise exposure to light. In other embodiments, the stimuli may comprise a change in pH level. In yet another embodiment, the stimuli may comprise a chemical reaction. Some shape memory alloys are configured to produce a shape memory effect by changing the phase and / or crystal structure. For example, certain shape memory alloys can undergo phase transitions in which their yield strength, stiffness, dimensions, and / or shape are altered as a function of temperature. Generally, at low temperatures or in the martensite phase, shape memory alloys can be elastically deformed and, when exposed to a higher temperature, transform into the austenite or matrix phase, returning to their original shape. Depending on the alloy composition and processing history, certain shape memory alloys may exhibit a unidirectional shape memory effect, an intrinsic bidirectional effect, or an external bidirectional shape memory effect.

[0066] Some examples of suitable shape memory alloy materials include, but are not limited to, nickel-titanium alloys, indium-titanium alloys, nickel-aluminum alloys, nickel-gallium alloys, copper alloys (e.g., copper-zinc alloys, copper-aluminum alloys, copper-gold, and copper-tin alloys), gold-cadmium alloys, silver-cadmium alloys, indium-cadmium alloys, manganese-copper alloys, iron-platinum alloys, iron-platinum alloys, and iron-palladium alloys. The alloys may be binary, ternary, or any higher order, as long as the alloy composition exhibits a shape memory effect, such as a change in shape orientation or damping ability. For example, in a certain embodiment, the shape memory alloy may include a composite of three elements (e.g., titanium, nickel, and copper). The transformation point can be adjusted by using different combinations of elements or by changing the concentration of each element in the composite. Further examples of shape memory materials and their applications can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 442,338, filed May 24, 2019, by Hejazi et al., for “Shape Memory Material for Controlled Liquid Delivery in an Aerosol Delivery Device.”

[0067] In one embodiment, the thermal control component 126 may include one or more heaters 134. In one embodiment, one or more heaters 134 may be electrically connected to at least one control component 124 and optionally one or more other components in the temperature control sleeve. For example, one or more heaters may be configured to be selectively controlled by at least one control component based on temperature and / or flow rate readings received from one or more temperature sensors and / or one or more flow sensors (for example, at least one control component may be configured to receive inputs relating to temperature and / or airflow generated by one or more sensors and to provide outputs to one or more heaters to automatically adjust the temperature of at least one of the first parts of the smoking product). For example, if the temperature in the temperature control sleeve falls below a threshold amount, at least one control component may automatically adjust the temperature of the first part of the smoking product by activating one or more heaters (for example, to add more heat to the first part of the smoking product). Similarly, if the temperature inside the temperature-controlled sleeve exceeds a threshold amount, at least one control component may automatically adjust the temperature of the first part of the smoking item by shutting off one or more heaters. In some embodiments, one or more heaters may be configured to be in direct contact with at least a portion of the smoking item, or one or more heaters may not be in direct contact with the smoking item at all. Generally, one or more heaters can be configured to be in heating relationship with one or more areas of at least a portion of the smoking item when appropriately distributed along the inner chamber. In some embodiments, one or more heaters may be in the form of metal trace heaters that are arranged longitudinally along the inner wall 123 of the outer shell 102.

[0068] In some embodiments, one or more heaters may be in the form of conductive and / or inductive heat sources. Beneficially, the one or more heaters may be provided in a manner that allows them to be placed in close contact with or near the smoking item (for example, to provide sufficient heat to the smoking item by conduction, radiation, or convection). In various embodiments, the conductive heating source may comprise a heating assembly comprising a resistive heating source. The resistive heating source may be configured to generate heat when an electric current flows through it. A conductive material useful as a resistive heating source may have low mass, low density, and moderate resistivity, and be thermally stable at the temperature experienced during use. A useful heating source provides an efficient use of energy because it heats and cools rapidly. Such a heating source may also allow for relatively precise control of the temperature range experienced by the smoking item, particularly when time-based current control is used.

[0069] Some non-limiting examples of materials that can be used as conductive materials include carbon, graphite, carbon / graphite composites, metals, ceramics such as metal and nonmetallic carbides, nitrides, oxides, silicides, intermetallic compounds, cermets, metal alloys, and metal foils. In particular, refractory materials may be useful. Various different materials can be mixed to achieve desirable properties of resistivity, mass, and thermal conductivity. In certain embodiments, available metals include, for example, nickel, chromium, nickel-chromium alloys (e.g., nichrome), and steel. Materials that may be useful for providing resistive heating are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 by Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,093,894 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,224,498 by Deevi et al., and Sprinkel. These disclosures are found in U.S. Patent No. 5,228,460 by Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,322,075 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,353,813 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,468,936 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,498,850 by Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,659,656 by Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,498,855 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,530,225 by Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,665,262 by Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,573,692 by Das et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,591,368 by Fleischhauer et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0070] As described above, one or more heaters may be in the form of induction heat sources. For example, in such embodiments, the induction heating source may comprise a resonant transformer, which may comprise a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver (i.e., a susceptor). In some embodiments, the resonant transmitter may comprise foil material, a coil, a cylinder, or other structure configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field, and the resonant receiver may comprise one or more prongs configured to engage with a first portion of the smoking item or to be arranged to surround the smoking item. In other embodiments, the resonant transmitter may comprise a helical coil configured to surround an inner chamber in which the smoking item is housed. In some embodiments, the helical coil may be arranged, for example, on the inner wall of an outer shell. Other possible induction heat sources and their components, including resonant transmitters and resonant receivers, are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 799,365, “Induction Heated Aerosol Delivery Device,” filed October 31, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0071] As described above, one or more temperature sensors may provide temperature readings to at least one control component, and one or more flow sensors may provide flow readings to at least one control component. Any variety of sensors and combinations thereof can be incorporated, as already described herein. Such sensors may, for example, be in direct contact with one or more heaters and / or one or more ventilation components. In some embodiments, for example, a regulator component, or a plurality of regulator components, may be provided in communication between a power supply and one or more heaters, and the regulator component is configured to selectively adjust the flow of current from the power supply to one or more heaters to control their temperature based on the output from at least one control component. In some embodiments, the current adjustment component may function to stop the flow of current to a resistive heating element when a specified temperature is achieved. Alternative temperature sensing configurations can be used, such as logic control components for evaluating the resistance of one or more heaters and correlating such resistances with the temperature of one or more heaters. In other examples, one or more heaters may be engaged with at least one control component via a feedback loop, for example, a comparator may compare the electrical parameters (i.e., voltage, current) measured in one or more heaters with a desired setpoint and adjust the output of those electrical parameters from the power supply.

[0072] As described above, at least one control component may be configured to receive inputs simultaneously from multiple sensors (e.g., related to temperature readings and / or airflow readings), all of which may be selectively positioned at various points along the inner wall of the outer shell to collect temperature readings and / or flow rate readings in various segments of the smoking product, and at least one control component is configured to provide outputs to one or more ventilation components and / or one or more heaters to automatically adjust the temperature of at least one of the smoking product. In one embodiment, for example as shown in Figure 4, the first part of the smoking product 118 (the same as the first part referred to in Figure 1) may refer to defined segments of the first part of the smoking product (e.g., as shown in Figure 4, a first segment (118a), a second segment (118b), a third segment (118c), a further segment (118d), etc.). In such embodiments, at least one control component and a thermal control component (including that component) can be configured to automatically adjust the temperature of any particular segment of the first part of the smoking product individually or in combination with any other segments of the first part of the smoking product (simultaneously or sequentially). For example, if the temperature measured by a temperature sensor located in close proximity to segment 118a exceeds a threshold amount, this temperature reading is communicated to at least one control component, which can then automatically adjust the temperature of segment 118a of the smoking product by, for example, opening one or more ventilation components located in close proximity to segment 118a (via an output from at least one control component), without substantially affecting the temperatures of other segments.Similarly, if the temperature measured by a temperature sensor located adjacent to segment 118d falls below a threshold, this temperature reading is communicated to at least one control component, which can then automatically adjust the temperature of segment 118d of the smoking product, for example, by closing one or more ventilation components located adjacent to segment 118d (via an output from at least one control component) and / or by selectively activating one or more heaters located adjacent to segment 118d (via an output from at least one control component), without substantially affecting the temperatures of other segments. The specific examples and embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the functionality, configuration, and / or selection of components of the thermal control component, and it should be noted that, in general, at least one control component and thermal control component (including its components) described herein can be configured to automatically adjust the temperature of any one or more segments of the smoking product used therein (for example, by changing the application of heat to the smoking product (via one or more heaters) or by changing the airflow characteristics within the sleeve (via one or more ventilation components).

[0073] In one embodiment, the temperature control sleeve may be configured to collect thermal energy generated within the temperature control sleeve and to transfer such collected energy (in the form of electrical energy) to various components within the temperature control sleeve. For example, in one embodiment, one or more heaters 134 may include one or more thermoelectric generators 135 configured to store thermal energy generated within the temperature control sleeve and convert the stored energy into a usable electromagnetic form. A thermoelectric generator (TEG), sometimes referred to herein as a “Seebeck generator,” is a solid-state device that converts heat flux (temperature difference) directly into electrical energy through a phenomenon called the Seebeck effect, which is a form of thermoelectric effect. Generally, the conversion of thermal energy to electrical energy by a thermoelectric generator (by the Seebeck effect) is substantially instantaneous because the thermoelectric material within the thermoelectric generator generates power directly from heat by instantaneously converting the temperature difference into voltage. One or more thermoelectric generators 135 may be electrically connected to various other components within the temperature control component 126 (e.g., one or more heaters, a power supply, at least one control component). For example, in one embodiment, the thermoelectric generator may be electrically connected to a capacitor and / or power supply to supplement the main power supply within the temperature-controlled sleeve. Using one or more thermoelectric generators within the temperature-controlled sleeve can be particularly advantageous when used to supplement a conventional power supply provided within the temperature-controlled sleeve, for example, to increase the efficiency of the temperature-controlled sleeve and / or reduce the overall battery capacity required.

[0074] In some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may include one or more additional components. These additional components may be located within the outer shell, on the outer surface of the outer shell, or separately mounted to the outer shell. The positioning and configuration of the various components within the temperature-controlled sleeve may be modified. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the temperature-controlled sleeve 100 may include one or both of an input element 136 and a feedback element 138 on the outer surface 125 of the outer shell 102. Generally, the input element 136 and / or the feedback element 138 are electrically in communication with at least one control component 124. The input element 136 may be included to allow a user to control one or more functions of the sleeve and / or to provide operation or deactivation of the sleeve. Any component or combination of components may be used as input elements for controlling the functions of the temperature-controlled sleeve. For example, one or more push buttons may be used, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245658 by Worm et al., incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, a touchscreen may be used as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 643,626, filed March 10, 2015, by Sears et al., incorporated herein by reference. As a further example, a component adapted to gesture recognition based on a specified movement of a temperature-controlled sleeve can be used as an input. See U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0158782 by Henry et al., incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, for example, a temperature-controlled sleeve may incorporate a sensor or detector for controlling the supply of power to one or more components (e.g., thermal control components) within the temperature-controlled sleeve that can be controlled and / or activated manually (e.g., via a push button, touchscreen, etc.). Thus, a scheme or method is provided for, for example, turning off the power supply to the temperature-controlled sleeve and its particular components when not in use, and turning on the power supply to activate or trigger the temperature-controlled sleeve and its particular components during use.In one embodiment, the temperature control sleeve may incorporate an additional control mechanism for controlling specific amounts of power to various components of the thermal control element during extraction.

[0075] In some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may optionally or additionally include a feedback element 138. Generally, the feedback element may be configured to output and / or display information to the user. For example, the feedback element may be configured to indicate the current lifespan of the smoking product, the number of times it has been smoked or smoked remaining until its expiration date (e.g., a visual smoke counter), the total smoke time or remaining smoke time until its expiration date, a warning if the user is smoking too aggressively (e.g., a warning about overheating and underheating), or a change in the degree of heating along a part of the smoking product (e.g., overheating or underheating). In some embodiments, the smoking product may require a preheating period before aerosol generation. In such embodiments, the feedback element may be configured to indicate the remaining time of the preheating period and / or to indicate when the temperature-controlled sleeve is ready for use. The feedback element may be configured to provide the user of the device with a variety of interactive functions or displays. For example, the feedback element may include a display configured to show a thermal gradient map of the amount of heat being applied to a distinct part of the smoking product housed in an inner chamber of the outer shell.

[0076] In some embodiments, one or both of the input and feedback elements may include a computer or computing device such as a smartphone or tablet. In particular, the temperature control sleeve may be wired to a computer or other device, for example, via a USB cord or the use of a similar protocol. In some embodiments, for example, the feedback element may be configured to transmit information to an electronic device via a wireless communication interface that can enable the temperature control sleeve to wirelessly communicate with one or more networks, computing devices or other appropriately enabled devices. Examples of suitable computing devices include any of the various mobile computers. More specific examples of suitable mobile computers include portable computers (e.g., laptops, notebooks, tablet computers), mobile phones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), wearable computers (e.g., smartwatches), etc. In other examples, the computing device may be embodied as something other than a mobile computer, such as a desktop computer or server computer. In yet another example, the computing device may be embodied as an electric beacon, such as one using iBeacon® technology developed by Apple Inc. Examples of suitable methods by which an aerosol delivery device may be configured for wireless communication are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 327,776 by Ampolini et al., filed July 10, 2014, and in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 609,032 by Henry, Jr. et al., filed January 29, 2016, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0077] A wireless communication interface may include, for example, an antenna (or multiplex antenna) and supporting hardware and / or software to enable wireless communication between a communication network (e.g., a cellular network, Wi-Fi, WLAN, etc.) and / or to support short-range communication between devices according to the desired communication technology. Examples of suitable short-range communication technologies that may be supported by the communication interface include various near-field communication (NFC) technologies and wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies. More specific examples of suitable WPAN technologies include those specified by the IEEE 802.15 standard or others, including Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (Bluetooth LE), ZigBee, infrared (e.g., IrDA), radio frequency identification (RFID), and wireless USB. Further examples of suitable short-range communication technologies include Wi-Fi Direct, and certain other technologies based on or specified by the IEEE 802.11 and / or IEEE 802.15.4 standards that support direct device-to-device communication.

[0078] The temperature control sleeve may also communicate with a computer or other device acting as an input via wireless communication. For example, see the system and method for controlling the device via read requests described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007561 by Ampolini et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In such embodiments, an app or other computer program may be used in conjunction with a computer or other computing device to input control commands to the temperature control sleeve, such control commands may include, for example, the ability to change the heating along a particular part of a smoking item (e.g., via the operation of one or more heaters), the ability to increase or decrease the airflow along a particular part of a smoking item (e.g., via the operation of one or more ventilation components), the ability to select the total particulate matter (TPM) to be provided per smoke inhalation, the ability to select a particular heating profile to be implemented, the ability to select a modifiable resistance to the drawer, and so on.

[0079] In some embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve may include one or more visual indicators or elements. In some embodiments, the visual indicators or elements may be configured to perform various functions, such as indicating the on / off state of the sleeve, the charge status and / or battery life, etc. Examples of suitable components are light-emitting diodes (LEDs), quantum dot-based LEDs, and other indicators that can be illuminated using the temperature-controlled sleeve. Examples of suitable LED components, as well as 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. In addition to or as an alternative to LEDs, further indicators (e.g., haptic feedback components, audio feedback components, etc.) may be included. Additional representative types of components that generate visual signals or indicators, such as light-emitting diode (LED) components, and their configurations and uses are described herein by reference in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 by Sprinkel et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 by Newton and U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 by Scatterday; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0020825 by Galloway et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216233 by Sears et al. It is understood that not all illustrated elements are required. For example, LEDs may be omitted or replaced by different indicators, such as vibration indicators.

[0080] Further components are also conceivable, and components particularly suitable for use with aerosol delivery devices may be incorporated into the temperature control sleeve of the present disclosure. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 by Sprinkel et al. discloses an indicator for smoking products; U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 by Sprinkel, Jr. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of a device to trigger heating of the heating device after detecting user lip activity related to inhalation acquisition; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al. discloses a smoke inhalation sensor for controlling the flow of energy to a heating load array in response to a pressure drop across the mouthpiece; U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 by Harris et al. discloses a receptacle in a smoking device that includes an identifier for detecting non-uniformity of the infrared transmittance of an inserted component and a controller that performs a detection routine when the component is inserted into the receptacle; U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al. describes a defined viable power cycle having multiple differential phases; and Watkins et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 by Counts et al. discloses photonic-optronic components; U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 by Counts et al. discloses means for changing suction resistance via a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 6,803,545 by Blake et al. discloses specific battery configurations for use in a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 7,293,565 by Griffen et al. disclose various charging systems for use in a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 by Fernando et al. discloses computer interface means for a smoking device to facilitate charging and enable computer control of the device; U.S. Patent No. 8,689,804 by Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for a smoking device; and International Publication No. 2010 / 003480 by Flick discloses a fluid flow sensing system indicating smoke inhalation in an aerosol generating system. All of the aforementioned disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0081] In one embodiment, the temperature-controlled sleeve 100 may further comprise a mouthpiece 140 that engages with a first opening 110 of the outer shell 102 and is positioned to interact with the mouthpiece end 114 of a smoking item (for example, as shown in Figure 4). In one embodiment, the mouthpiece defines a channel 142 that is in fluid communication with the first opening of the outer shell so that the suction force applied to the mouthpiece is transmitted to the smoking item. The mouthpiece may be connected to the outer shell via a variety of different mechanisms, such as screw engagements, press-fit engagements, snap-fit ​​engagements, magnetic engagements, etc. Generally, the mouthpiece may be removable and / or replaceable. In the illustrated embodiment, the power supply 104 and control components 124 are located between the smoking item and the mouthpiece 140, but it should be noted that other configurations are possible. For example, the power supply 104 and / or control components 124 may be embedded elsewhere in the outer shell 102 of the temperature-controlled sleeve. In one embodiment, for example, the power supply and / or control components may be located within the outer shell or embedded within the outer shell and positioned in close proximity to the smoking product.

[0082] In one embodiment, the temperature-controlled sleeve is located within an outer shell 102 and may further comprise one or more porous structures 144 positioned relative to a first opening 110 of the outer shell 102, such that the aerosol exiting through the opening passes through one or both of the porous structures 144 and around them. In another embodiment, the one or more porous structures may be located entirely or at least partially within a mouthpiece 140 (not shown). In one embodiment, the aerosol generated by the smoking product when the user inhales the temperature-controlled sleeve can flow through and / or around the one or more porous structures. In one embodiment, for example, the porous structure may be in the form of a filter or porous material configured to contain a liquid material suitable for transferring one or more flavors or other components (e.g., active ingredients) to the aerosol passing through. In one embodiment, the porous structure may provide filtration capacity and / or draw resistance as needed. In one embodiment, the filter may comprise separate segments. For example, one embodiment may include a segment that provides filtration, a segment that provides suction resistance, a hollow segment that provides space for the aerosol to cool, a segment that provides improved structural integrity, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the above. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece 140 itself may include a chamber or a void within it (downstream of the smoking item) which can be sized and / or shaped to provide proper condensation and / or cooling of the aerosol before it is drawn into the user's mouth in the temperature-controlled sleeve. In such embodiments, the chamber or void may include a porous structure as described herein to provide one or more of filtration capacity, cooling, and / or draw resistance.

[0083] In general, porous structures may be provided in various forms that include a variety of different components therein. In some embodiments, for example, the porous structure may comprise one or more of voids, hollow tube structures, phase change materials for cooling air, flavor release media, ion exchange fibers capable of selective chemiadsorption, aerogel particles as filter media, and other suitable materials. Some examples of possible phase change materials include, but are not limited to, salts such as AgNO3, AlCl3, TaCl3, InCl3, SnCl2, AlI3, and TiI4; metals or metal alloys such as selenium, tin, indium, tin-zinc, indium-zinc, and indium-bismuth; and organic compounds such as D-mannitol, succinic acid, p-nitrobenzoic acid, hydroquinone, and adipic acid. Other examples are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,430,106 by Potter et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The porous structure may be formed from a variety of different materials; for example, in one embodiment, the porous structure may be made from cellulose acetate or polypropylene material. Generally, any porous filter material commonly used in the art is suitable for forming the porous structure.

[0084] In some embodiments, the porous structure may be configured to release a second aerosol when heated, which can be combined with an aerosol released from the smoking product during use of the temperature-controlled sleeve. In such embodiments, the porous structure may be configured to include a non-tobacco flavoring liquid (e.g., a nicotine solution), a tobacco extract or distillate, a flavoring agent, an aerosol precursor composition, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, for example, the porous structure may be configured to be heated by a heater in the outer shell (e.g., one of the one or more heaters described herein) and thus generate an aerosol. Any heater as defined herein may be suitable for heating the porous structure. In such embodiments, heating the porous structure can generate an aerosol that can be combined with an aerosol generated by the smoking product during use of the temperature-controlled sleeve.

[0085] Some aerosol precursor compositions that can be used in combination with porous structures may contain one or more acids, such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, benzoic acid, fumaric acid, or combinations thereof. Including an acid in a liquid aerosol precursor composition containing nicotine may provide a protonated liquid aerosol precursor composition containing nicotine in salt form. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain a variety of components, such as polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract, and / or flavorings. In some examples, the aerosol precursor composition contains glycerin and nicotine. Representative types of liquid aerosol precursor components and formulations are characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,254,002 by Chong et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 by Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 by Lipowicz et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 by Koller, as well as International Publication No. 2014 / 182736 by Bowen et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 by Collett et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include aerosol precursors incorporated into any of the numerous representative products identified above. The so-called “smoke juice” for e-cigarettes, available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC, is also desirable.Further exemplary aerosol precursor compositions are marketed under the trade names BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR.CRIMMY'S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT.BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN. The implementation of foaming materials can be used in conjunction with aerosol precursors, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012 / 0055494 by Hunt et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the use of foaming materials is described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,639,368 by Niazi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,178,878 by Wehling et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,223,264 by Wehling et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,974,590 by Pater et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,381,667 by Bergquist et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,424,541 by Crawford et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,627,828 by Strickland et al., and U.S. Patent No. 9,307,787 by Sun et al., as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0018539 by Brinkley et al., and International Publication No. 97 / 06786 by Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0086] As described above, one or more porous structures may additionally or alternatively contain other active ingredients, including but not limited to nicotine components, plant components (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca, hemp, eucalyptus, rooibos, fennel, citrus fruits, cloves, and rhizomes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) and / or pharmaceutical, dietary supplement and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins, e.g., B6, B12, and C, and / or cannabinoids, e.g., tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

[0087] As used herein, references to “flavoring agents” or “flavorings” refer to compounds or ingredients that can be aerosolized and delivered to the user and that provide a sensory experience in terms of taste and / or aroma. Non-exclusive examples of flavoring agents include, but are not limited to, vanilla, coffee, chocolate / cocoa, cream, mint, spearmint, menthol, peppermint, wintergreen, eucalyptus, lavender, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cascarilla, sandalwood, honey, jasmine, ginger, anise, sage, licorice, lemon, orange, apple, peach, lime, cherry, strawberry, terpenes, trigeminal senstates, and any combination thereof. See also Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (1972), incorporated herein by reference. Flavorings may also contain components that are considered humectants, coolants, or smoothers, such as eucalyptus. These flavors may be supplied neat (i.e., alone) or in composites, or used in concentrates or flavor packages (e.g., spearmint and menthol, orange and cinnamon; lime, pineapple, etc.). Representative types of components are also described in U.S. Patent No. 5,387,416 by White et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0244521 by Strickland et al., and International Publication No. 05 / 041699 by Quinter et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. In some cases, flavorings may be supplied in spray-dried or liquid form.

[0088] Flavoring agents may be volatile flavoring components. As used herein, “volatile” refers to a chemical substance that readily forms vapor at ambient temperature (i.e., a chemical substance that has a relatively high vapor pressure at a given temperature compared to a non-volatile substance). Typically, volatile flavoring components have a molecular weight of less than about 400 Da and often contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond, a carbon-oxygen double bond, or both. In one embodiment, at least one volatile flavoring component contains one or more alcohols, aldehydes, aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, esters, terpenes, terpenoids, or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of aldehydes include vanillin, ethyl vanillin, p-anisaldehyde, hexanal, furfural, isovaleraldehyde, cuminaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and citronellal. Non-limiting examples of ketones include 1-hydroxy-2-propanone and 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopentenone-1-one. Non-limiting examples of esters include allyl hexanoate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl acetate, and 3-methylbutyl acetate. Non-limiting examples of terpenes include sabinene, limonene, gamma-terpinene, beta-farnesene, nerolidol, thujone, myrcene, geraniol, nerol, citronellol, linalool, and eucalyptol. In one embodiment, at least one volatile flavor component includes one or more of ethyl vanillin, cinnamaldehyde, sabinene, limonene, gamma-terpinene, beta-farnesene, or citral. In one embodiment, at least one volatile flavor component includes ethyl vanillin.

[0089] In further embodiments, the temperature-controlled sleeve 100 may include a barrier or seal component 146 positioned adjacent to a second opening 112 of the outer shell 102 and configured to restrict airflow to the temperature-controlled sleeve. In particular, the barrier or seal component 146 may form a non-permeable barrier and / or seal surrounding the smoking object at the intersecting plane 148 of a second portion of the smoking object 120 (including, for example, a heat source) and a first portion of the smoking object 118 (including, for example, a base material for combustion). In such embodiments, the heat source may be in the form of a substantially non-air-permeable heat source so as to prevent ambient air from passing through the heat source. Similarly, the barrier or seal component 146 prevents air from flowing around the heat source and entering the temperature-controlled sleeve through its second opening 112. In one embodiment, the first portion of the smoking product 118 may include a ventilated wrapper and / or air inlet (not shown) communicating with one or more ventilation components 132, in order to allow airflow entering the temperature-controlled sleeve via a ventilation component to communicate with the first portion of the smoking product while the temperature-controlled sleeve is in use.

[0090] In certain embodiments, the smoking product itself may include a barrier or sealing component that separates a second part of the smoking product 120 (e.g., including a heat source) from a first part of the smoking product 118 (e.g., including a base material for combustion). In such embodiments, the barrier or sealing component within the smoking product can prevent air from flowing through the heat source in the second part of the smoking product 120 to the location of the first part of the smoking product 118 downstream from there. In some embodiments, the first part of the smoking product 118 may include a breathable wrapper and / or air inlet (not shown) that communicates with one or more ventilation components 132 to allow airflow entering the temperature-controlled sleeve via a ventilation component to communicate with the first part of the smoking product while the temperature-controlled sleeve is in use.

[0091] In one or more examples, values ​​described herein may be characterized by the word “approximately.” A value that is “approximately” described is understood to mean that the described quantity may be the exact value, or may vary from the value indicated by up to 5%, up to 2%, or up to 1%. Similarly, in one or more examples, values ​​and / or characteristics described herein may be characterized by the word “substantially.” A value and / or characteristic that is “substantially” described is understood to mean that the described quantity may be the exact value or characteristic, or may vary from the value or characteristic indicated by up to 5%, up to 2%, or up to 1%.

[0092] Those skilled in the art will realize that many modifications and other embodiments of this disclosure have the benefit of teaching shown in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it should be understood that this 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. Certain terms are used herein, but they are used in a general and descriptive sense only and not for limitation.

Claims

1. A temperature-controlled sleeve for smoking products, Outer shell and An inner chamber, at least partially defined within the outer shell and configured to accommodate at least a portion of the smoking product, An opening through the outer shell, configured to release aerosols, The power supply is located inside the outer shell, At least one control component located within the outer shell, One or more temperature sensors and one or more flow sensors are arranged in communication with the inner chamber and selectively positioned along the inner wall of the outer shell, One or more ventilation components arranged in communication with the inner chamber, Equipped with, At least one control component is configured to receive one or more inputs generated by one or more temperature sensors and one or more flow sensors, the one or more inputs relating to either or both of the temperature in the inner chamber and / or the airflow in the inner chamber. A temperature-controlled sleeve comprising at least one control component configured to provide an output to one or more ventilation components to automatically adjust the temperature of at least a portion of the smoking product.

2. The temperature-regulating sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell comprises an insulating material.

3. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 2, wherein the insulating material is a ceramic material, a plastic material, a carbonaceous material, or a combination thereof.

4. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 1, wherein at least one control component, one or more temperature sensors, one or more flow sensors, and one or more ventilation components are electrically connected.

5. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 1, wherein one or more ventilation components each comprise an air passage extending through an outer shell and a damper, the damper being configurable between an open position that allows airflow into an inner chamber and a closed position that restricts airflow into the inner chamber.

6. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 5, wherein the position of the damper is configured to be selectively controlled by at least one control component.

7. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 5, wherein the damper comprises a thermally responsive material.

8. The temperature-controlled sleeve according to claim 7, wherein the thermally responsive material is configured to spontaneously change between a closed position and at least a partially open position at a substantially selected threshold temperature.

9. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 8, wherein one or more temperature sensors include a thermal probe, the thermal probe being configured to be in thermal detection relationship with at least a portion of the smoking item when received by an inner chamber.

10. A temperature control sleeve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising one or more heaters electrically communicating with at least one control component.

11. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 10, wherein one or more heaters are configured to be selectively operated by at least one control component.

12. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 10, wherein one or more heaters are configured to be in heating relation with one or more areas of at least a portion of the smoking item when received by the inner chamber.

13. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 10, wherein one or more heaters include one or more thermoelectric generators.

14. A temperature control sleeve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising one or more porous structures disposed within an outer shell and positioned relative to an opening within the outer shell, wherein aerosols exiting through the opening pass through one or more porous structures and around one or both of them.

15. The temperature control sleeve according to claim 14, wherein one or more porous structures are configured to contain a non-tobacco flavoring liquid, a tobacco extract or distillate, a flavoring agent, an aerosol precursor composition, and a combination thereof.

16. The temperature control sleeve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the power source comprises one or both of a battery and a capacitor.

17. A temperature control sleeve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an input element disposed on the outer surface of the outer shell.

18. The temperature-controlled sleeve according to claim 17, wherein the input element is configured to control the supply of power from a power source to one or more components of the temperature-controlled sleeve, and to control the operation and stopping of the temperature-controlled sleeve, or both.

19. A temperature control sleeve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a feedback element disposed on the outer surface of the outer shell.

20. The temperature-controlled sleeve according to claim 19, wherein the feedback element is configured to provide one or more feedback regarding the number of puffs taken or remaining before the expiration date, the total puffing time, a heat map showing temperature gradients at various locations along the smoking item, and warnings about overheating and underheating at various locations along the smoking item.

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