Photodetector for measuring aerosol precursor composition in aerosol delivery device

Abstract

To provide an aerosol delivery device with improved electronics such as may extend usability of the device.SOLUTION: An aerosol delivery device 100 is provided that includes: at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition; and a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The aerosol delivery device includes a light source configured to emit light into the reservoir, and a photodetector configured to detect reflection of the light that indicates an amount of the aerosol precursor composition retained in the reservoir. In addition, the aerosol delivery device includes a control component coupled to the photodetector and configured to control an operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection, and thereby the amount of the aerosol precursor composition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Over the years, numerous devices have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require the combustion of tobacco for use. Many of these devices, so to speak, provide a sensation associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but are designed not to deliver the substantial amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products resulting from the burning of tobacco. For this purpose, many alternative smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile materials, or attempt to provide the sensation of smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without significantly burning tobacco. For example, see the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art described in Collett et al. U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737, Griffith Jr. et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702, Sebastian et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638, Sears et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781, Ampolini et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096782, Davis et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780, and Watson et al. U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 222,615, filed on 28 July 2016. See also, for example, the various embodiments of the product and heating configuration described in the background art sections of U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 by Counts et al. and U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 by Robinson et al., which are incorporated by reference. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096782 [Patent Document 6] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 [Patent Document 7] U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 [Patent Document 8] U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] However, it may be desirable to provide aerosol delivery devices with improved electronic equipment that can extend the usefulness of the device.

[0005] This disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods for forming such devices, and elements of such devices. This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary embodiments.

[0006] Exemplary Embodiment 1: Some exemplary embodiments provide an aerosol delivery device comprising: at least one housing surrounding a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition; a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; a light source configured to emit light into the reservoir; a photodetector configured to detect a reflection of light indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir; and a control component connected to the photodetector and configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection thus detected, and consequently the amount of aerosol precursor composition.

[0007] Exemplary Embodiment 2: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of the exemplary embodiments described above, the reflection of light indicates the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of the aerosol precursor composition, and the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element, which includes being configured to control the operation of at least one functional element based on the reflection, and thus the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0008] Exemplary Embodiment 3: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the photodetector is a color sensor comprising a color pass filter and a photodetector for each of a plurality of colors, and the reflection of light includes components for each of the plurality of colors.

[0009] Exemplary Embodiment 4: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element, which includes being configured to control at least one functional element to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device.

[0010] Exemplary Embodiment 5: In some exemplary embodiments of an aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element, which includes being configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceptible feedback indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition.

[0011] Exemplary Embodiment 6: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the reflection of light indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition also indicates the absorption properties of the aerosol precursor composition, and the control component is further configured to authenticate the aerosol precursor composition based on a comparison of the absorption properties with known absorption properties, and to further control the operation of at least one functional element based on the authentication.

[0012] Exemplary Embodiment 7: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the control component is further configured to control the operation of at least one functional element based on authentication, which includes being configured to control at least one functional element to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device.

[0013] Exemplary Embodiment 8: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the reflection of light indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition also indicates the absorption characteristics of the aerosol precursor composition, and the control components are further configured to date the aerosol precursor composition based on a comparison of the absorption characteristics with a known absorption characteristic range, and to further control the operation of at least one functional element based on the date of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0014] Exemplary Embodiment 9: In some exemplary embodiments of an aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element, which includes being configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceptible feedback indicating the expiration date of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0015] Exemplary Embodiment 10: In some exemplary embodiments of the aerosol delivery device of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the aerosol precursor composition comprises glycerin and nicotine.

[0016] Exemplary Embodiment 11: Some exemplary embodiments provide a cartridge connected to or connectable to a control body equipped with a control component, the control body being connected to or connectable to the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising at least one housing surrounding a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, a light source configured to emit light into the reservoir, and a photodetector configured to detect the reflection of light indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir, the control component being connected to the photodetector when the control body is connected to the cartridge, and the control component being configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection, and thus the amount of aerosol precursor composition.

[0017] Exemplary Embodiment 12: In some exemplary embodiments of the cartridge of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the reflection of light indicates the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of the aerosol precursor composition, and the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element, which includes being configured to control the operation of at least one functional element based on the reflection, and thus the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0018] Exemplary Embodiment 13: In some exemplary embodiments of the cartridge of any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the photodetector is a color sensor comprising a color pass filter and a photodetector for each of a plurality of colors, and the reflection of light includes components for each of the plurality of colors.

[0019] Exemplary Embodiment 14: In some exemplary embodiments of a cartridge of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition comprises glycerin and nicotine.

[0020] Exemplary Embodiment 15: Some exemplary embodiments provide a control body that is or can be connected to a cartridge so as to form an aerosol delivery device. The cartridge includes a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, a light source configured to emit light into the reservoir, and a photodetector configured to detect reflection of light indicative of the amount of aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir. The control body includes a housing and, within the housing, a control component that is connected to the photodetector when the control body is connected to the cartridge. The control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection thus detected, and hence on the amount of aerosol precursor composition.

[0021] Exemplary Embodiment 16: In some exemplary embodiments of a control body of any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the reflection of light indicates the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of aerosol precursor composition, and the fact that the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element includes being configured to control the operation of at least one functional element based on the reflection, and hence on the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of aerosol precursor composition.

[0022] Exemplary Embodiment 17: In some exemplary embodiments of the control body of any one of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the fact that the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element includes being configured to control at least one functional element to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device.

[0023] Exemplary Embodiment 18: In some exemplary embodiments of the control body of any one of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the fact that the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element includes being configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceivable feedback indicating the amount of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0024] Exemplary Embodiment 19: In some exemplary embodiments of the control body of any one of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the reflection of light indicating the amount of the aerosol precursor composition also exhibits the absorption characteristics of the aerosol precursor composition, and the control component is further configured to authenticate the aerosol precursor composition based on a comparison of the absorption characteristics with known absorption characteristics, and further to control the operation of at least one functional element based on the authentication.

[0025] Exemplary Embodiment 20: In some exemplary embodiments of the control body of any one of the foregoing exemplary embodiments or any combination of the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the fact that the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element based on further authentication includes being configured to control at least one functional element to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device.

[0026] Exemplary Embodiment 21: In some exemplary embodiments of the control body in any of the exemplary embodiments described above or any combination of the exemplary embodiments described above, the reflection of light indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition also indicates the absorption characteristics of the aerosol precursor composition, and the control component is further configured to date the aerosol precursor composition based on a comparison of the absorption characteristics with a known absorption characteristic range, and to further control the operation of at least one functional element based on the date of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0027] Exemplary Embodiment 22: In some exemplary embodiments of the control body in any of the above exemplary embodiments or any combination thereof, the control component is configured to control the operation of at least one functional element, which includes being configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceptible feedback indicating the expiration date of the aerosol precursor composition.

[0028] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the Disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description, along with the accompanying drawings which are briefly described below. The Disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four or more features or elements described herein, whether such features or elements are expressly combined in the specific exemplary embodiments described herein or otherwise enumerated. The Disclosure is intended to be read as a whole so that any separable features or elements of the Disclosure appear to be combinable in any aspect or exemplary embodiment, unless the context of the Disclosure clearly indicates otherwise.

[0029] Therefore, it will be understood that this summary is provided solely for the purpose of summarizing some exemplary embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it will be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are merely examples and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Other exemplary embodiments, aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, together with the accompanying drawings illustrating the principles of some of the described exemplary embodiments.

[0030] This disclosure is based on the general terms described above and will refer to the attached drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0031] [Figure 1] This shows a side view of an aerosol delivery device, including a cartridge connected to a control unit, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] These are partial cutaway views of aerosol delivery devices according to various exemplary embodiments. [Figure 3] This document illustrates various exemplary embodiments of aerosol delivery devices that communicate wirelessly with computing devices. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] This disclosure is described more fully below with reference to its exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described so as to give thoroughness and completeness to this disclosure and so as to fully convey 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. The singular nouns "a," "an," "the," etc., used herein and in the appended claims include multiple subjects unless otherwise explicitly indicated in the context. Also, while this specification may refer to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships, etc., unless otherwise stated, one or more of these may be absolute or approximate to describe possible acceptable modifications, such as those by technical tolerance.

[0033] As described below, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery devices. Aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without significantly burning the material) to form an inhalable substance. Components of such systems most preferably have the form of articles small enough to be considered portable devices. That is, since the aerosol is mainly produced from the byproducts of the combustion or thermal decomposition of tobacco, no smoke is produced when using the components of preferred aerosol delivery devices; rather, when using those preferred systems, vapor is produced due to the volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. In some exemplary embodiments, components of aerosol delivery devices may be characterized as e-cigarettes, which most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and thereby deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0034] A particular aerosol-generating component of a preferred aerosol delivery device can provide a number of 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 feel, the form of use, the visual stimulation such as that provided by a visible aerosol) without any of its components substantially burning. For example, a user of the aerosol-generating component of the present disclosure can hold and use the component in the same way a smoker uses a conventional type of smoking article, and can inhale one end of the component to inhale the aerosol generated by the component, or puff on it at selected time intervals.

[0035] While the system is generally described herein in relation to embodiments relating to aerosol delivery devices such as so-called "electronic cigarettes," it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in many different forms and relate to various articles. For example, the descriptions provided herein may be used in combination with conventional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), heated tobacco products (heat-not-burn cigarettes), and related packaging embodiments for any of the products disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the descriptions of mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are discussed merely as examples relating to embodiments of aerosol delivery devices and may be embodied and used in various other products and methods.

[0036] The aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure can also be characterized as vapor-generating articles or drug delivery articles. Such articles or devices can therefore be adapted to deliver one or more substances (e.g., flavors and / or pharmaceutically active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhalable substance may be substantially in vapor form (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may be in aerosol form (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For clarity, the term “aerosol” as used herein means including vapors, gases and aerosols in forms or types suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or in a form that can be considered fuzzy.

[0037] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may, when in use, be subject to many of the physical actions employed by an individual when using conventional types of smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, or pipes used by lighting and inhaling a tobacco). For example, a user of the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may hold the article, which is very similar to conventional types of smoking articles, and may inhale one end of the article and puff at selected time intervals to inhale the aerosol generated by the article.

[0038] The aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure generally include a number of components housed within an outer body or shell, which may be called a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell can be varied, and the form or configuration of the outer body, which can define the overall dimensions and shape of the aerosol delivery device, can be varied. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar may be formed from a single, integrated housing, or the elongated housing may be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have an elongated shell or body whose shape may be substantially tubular and thus resembling the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all components of the aerosol delivery device are housed within a single housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may have two or more housings that are joined and separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end, comprising a housing that contains one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and / or a storage battery such as a supercapacitor, and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the items), and at the other end, an outer body or shell that houses a disposable component (e.g., a disposable flavoring cartridge) that can be detachably connected thereto. More specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of components within a single-housing type unit or a multi-component separable housing type unit will become apparent in light of further disclosures provided herein. In addition, by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, various aerosol delivery device designs and component arrangements can be understood.

[0039] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure most preferably comprises any combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (means for operating, controlling, regulating and stopping power for heating, such as by controlling the flow of current from the power source to other components of the article (e.g., a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller)), a heater or heating element (e.g., an electrically resistive heating element or other component, which may be commonly referred to as a “sprayer,” either alone or in combination with one or more further elements), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid that can generally produce an aerosol when sufficiently heated, such as components commonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid,” and “e-juice”), and a mouth end region or tip (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article such that the generated aerosol can be drawn out by inhalation).

[0040] The alignment of components within the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure can be varied. In certain embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may be placed near the end of the aerosol delivery device, which may be configured to be positioned close to the user's mouth, to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, a heating element may be positioned close enough to the aerosol precursor composition so that heat from the heating element volatilizes the aerosol precursor (as well as one or more flavorings, drugs, etc., which may be provided for delivery to the user), thereby forming an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the terms used herein mean that references to release, releasing, releases, or released are paraphrasable to include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, inhalable substances are released in the form of vapors, aerosols, or mixtures thereof, and such terms are used interchangeably herein unless otherwise specified.

[0041] As described above, the aerosol delivery device may incorporate a battery or other power source to provide sufficient current to provide various functions to the aerosol delivery device, such as powering a heater, a control system, or an indicator. The power source can take various embodiments. Preferably, the power source can deliver enough power to rapidly heat the heating element to provide aerosol formation and can power the aerosol delivery device throughout use for a desired duration. Preferably, the power source is sized to fit conveniently inside the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled. In addition, a preferred power source is light enough so as not to impair the desired smoking experience.

[0042] More specific forms, configurations, and arrangements of the components within the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure will become apparent in light of the further disclosures provided below. In addition, by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, the selection and arrangement of components in various aerosol delivery devices can be understood. Furthermore, by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, the arrangement of components within an aerosol delivery device can also be understood. Examples of commercially available products whose components, methods of operation, materials contained therein, and / or other attributes may be included in the apparatus of this disclosure include ACCORD(R) by Philip Morris Incorporated, ALPHA(TM), JOYE 510(TM) and M4(TM) by InnoVapor LLC, CIRRUS(TM) and FLING(TM) by White Cloud Cigarettes, BLU(TM) by Lorillard Technologies, Inc., COHITA(TM), COLIBRI(TM), ELITE CLASSIC(TM), MAGNUM(TM), PHANTOM(TM) and SENSE(TM) by Effer(R) International Inc., DUOPRO(TM), STORM(TM) and VAPORKING(R) by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc., EGAR(TM) by Egar Australia, eGo-C(TM) and eGo-T(TM) by Joyetech, and Elusion UK. ELUSION™ by Ltd, EONSMOKE® by Eonsmoke LLC, FIN™ by FIN Branding Group, LLC, SMOKE® by Green Smoke Inc. USA, GREENARETTE™ by Greenarette LLC, HALLIGAN™, HENDU™, JET™, MAXXQ™, PINK™, and PITBULL™ by Smoke Stik®, Philip Morris International, Inc.HEATBAR™ by [company name], HYDRO IMPERIAL™ and LXE™ by Crown7, LOGIC™ and THE CUBAN™ by LOGIC Technology, LUCI® by Luciano Smokes Inc., METRO® by Nicotek, LLC, NJOY® and ONEJOY™ by Sottera, Inc., NO.7™ by SS Choice LLC, PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE™ by PremiumEstore LLC, RAPP E-MYSTICK™ by Ruyan America, Inc., RED DRAGON™ by Red Dragon Products, LLC, RUYAN® by Ruyan Group (Holdings) Ltd., SF® by Smoker Friendly International, LLC, GREEN SMART SMOKER® by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd., and SMOKE by Coastline Products LLC. ASSIST(R), SMOKING EVERYWHERE(R) by Smoking Everywhere, Inc., V2CIGS(TM) by VMR Products LLC, VAPOR NINE(TM) by VaporNine LLC, VAPOR4LIFE(R) by Vapor 4 Life, Inc., VEPPO(TM) by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC, AVIGO, VUSE, VUSE CONNECT, VUSE FOB, VUSE HYBRID, ALTO, ALTO+, MODO, CIRO, FOX+FOG and SOLO+ by RJReynolds Vapor Company, MISTIC MENTHOL by Mistic Ecigs, and CN Creative Ltd.It is marketed as VYPE. Furthermore, other electric aerosol delivery devices, particularly those characterized as so-called e-cigarettes, are marketed under the trade names COOLER VISIONS™, DIRECT E-CIG™, DRAGONFLY™, EMIST™, EVERSMOKE™, GAMUCCI®, HYBRID FLAME™, KNIGHT STICKS™, ROYAL BLUES™, SMOKETIP®, and SOUTH BEACH SMOKE™.

[0043] Additional manufacturers, designers and / or assignees of components and related technologies that may be employed in the aerosol delivery apparatus of this disclosure include: Shenzhen Jieshibo Technology in Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen First Union Technology in Shenzhen, China; Safe Cig in Los Angeles, California; Janty Asia Company in the Philippines; Joyetech Changzhou Electronics in Shenzhen, China; SIS Resources; B2B International Holdings in Dover, Delaware; Evolv LLC in Ohio; Montrade in Bologna, Italy; Shenzhen Bauway Technology in Shenzhen, China; Global Vapor Trademarks Inc. in Pompano Beach, Florida; Vapor Corp. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Nemtra GmbH in Laschau-Markersbach, Germany; Perrigo L.Co. in Allegan, Michigan; Needs Co., Ltd. in Las Vegas, Nevada; McNeil AB in Helsingborg, Sweden; Chong Corp. in Mountain View, California; and Alexza Pharmaceuticals, BLEC, LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina; Gaitrend Sarl in Roebach-les-Bitz, France; FeelLife Bioscience International in Shenzhen, China; Vishay Electronic BMGH in Selb, Germany; Shenzhen Smaco Technology Ltd in Shenzhen, China.This includes Vapor Systems International (Boca Raton, Florida), Exonoid Medical Devices (Israel), Shenzhen Nowotech Electronic (Shenzhen, China), Minilogic Device Corporation (Hong Kong, China), Shenzhen Kontle Electronics (Shenzhen, China), Fuma International, LLC (Mediona, Ohio), 21st Century Smoke (Beloit, Wisconsin), and Kimree Holdings (HK) Co. Limited (Hong Kong, China).

[0044] In various examples, an aerosol delivery device may include a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition. The reservoir may be formed from a porous material (e.g., a fibrous material) and may therefore be called a porous substrate (e.g., a fibrous substrate).

[0045] A fibrous substrate useful as a reservoir in an aerosol delivery device may be a woven or nonwoven material formed from multiple fibers or filaments, and may be formed from either or both natural and synthetic fibers. For example, the fibrous substrate may comprise a glass fiber material. In certain examples, cellulose acetate material can be used. In other exemplary embodiments, carbon material can be used. The reservoir may substantially take the form of a container and may contain the fibrous material contained therein.

[0046] Figure 1 shows a side view of an aerosol delivery device 100 including a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 1 shows the control body and cartridge connected to each other. The control body and cartridge may be detachably aligned in a functional relationship. Various mechanisms may connect the cartridge to the control body, resulting in screw engagement, press-fit engagement, interlocking fit, magnetic engagement, and the like. In some exemplary embodiments, when the cartridge and control body are in an assembled configuration, the aerosol delivery device may be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. The aerosol delivery device may also have a substantially rectangular or rhomboid cross-section, which may result in good compatibility with substantially flat or thin-film power sources, such as power sources including flat-cell batteries. The cartridge and control body may include separate respective housings or outer bodies which may be formed from any of a number of different materials. The housings may be formed from any suitable structurally stable material. In some examples, the housings may be formed from metals or alloys such as stainless steel, aluminum, etc. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal plating on plastics, ceramics, and the like.

[0047] In some exemplary embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 or the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be described as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery and thus be combined with any kind of recharging technology, including connection to a typical wall outlet, connection to a car charger (i.e., cigarette lighter socket), connection to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector, etc., connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes called a solar cell), or connection of a solar cell to a solar panel, or connection to an RF-DC converter. Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a disposable cartridge, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639 by Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0048] Figure 2 further illustrates an aerosol delivery device 100 according to several exemplary embodiments. As can be seen in the cutaway diagram shown therein, the aerosol delivery device may also comprise a control body 102 and a cartridge 104, each containing a number of respective components. The components shown in Figure 2 are representative of components that may be present in the control body and cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of components covered by this disclosure. As shown, for example, the control body may be formed from a control body shell 206 that can include control components 208 (e.g., a microprocessor individually or as part of a microcontroller), a flow sensor 210, a power supply 212 and one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 214, and such components may be variably alignable. The power supply may include, for example, a battery (disposable or rechargeable), a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a solid-state battery (SSB), a rechargeable thin-film SSB, a rechargeable supercapacitor, or any combination thereof. Some examples of suitable power sources are provided in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 918,926, filed October 21, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference. LEDs may be an example of a suitable visual indicator that can be equipped in an aerosol delivery device. In addition to visual indicators such as LEDs and quantum dot-enabled LEDs, other indicators such as audible indicators (e.g., speakers) and tactile indicators (e.g., vibration motors) may be included, or in place of them.

[0049] The cartridge 104 may be formed from a cartridge shell 216 containing a heater 222 (sometimes called a heating element) surrounding a reservoir 218 configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition. In various configurations, this structure may also be called a tank; therefore, terms such as “cartridge” and “tank” may be used interchangeably to refer to the shell or other housing that surrounds the reservoir of the aerosol precursor composition and contains the heater.

[0050] As shown, in some examples, the reservoir 218 may be in fluid communication with a liquid transport element 220 configured to draw up or otherwise transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to the heater 222. In some examples, a valve may be located between the reservoir and the heater and configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition sent or delivered from the reservoir to the heater.

[0051] The heater 222 may be formed using various example materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied. These example heaters may be resistance heating elements such as wire coils and microheaters. Examples of materials that may form the heating element include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nichrome, stainless steel, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum-doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns) and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). Exemplary embodiments of heaters or heating elements useful for aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure are further described below and can be incorporated into devices such as those shown in Figure 2 as described herein.

[0052] An opening 224 may be present within the cartridge shell 216 (for example, at the mouth end) to allow the formed aerosol to be released from the cartridge 104.

[0053] The cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components 226, which may include integrated circuits, memory components (e.g., EEPROM, flash memory), sensors, etc. The electronic components may be adapted to communicate with the control components 208 and / or external devices by wired or wireless means. The electronic components may be located anywhere within the cartridge or its base 228.

[0054] Although the control component 208 and the flow sensor 210 are shown separately, it should be understood that various electronic components, including the control component and the flow sensor, may be combined on an electronically printed circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. Furthermore, the PCB may be oriented horizontally to the diagram in Figure 1, in that the PCB may be parallel in the longitudinal direction to the central axis of the control body. In some examples, the air flow sensor may have its own PCB or other base element to which it can be mounted. In some examples, a flexible PCB may be used. The flexible PCB may be configured in various shapes, including substantially tubular shapes. In some examples, the flexible PCB may be combined with a heater substrate, laminated on a heater substrate, or form part or all of a heater substrate.

[0055] The control body 102 and cartridge 104 may include components configured to facilitate fluid engagement between them. As shown in Figure 2, the control body may include a coupler 230 having a cavity 232 inside. The base 228 of the cartridge may be configured to engage with the coupler and may include a projection 234 configured to fit into the cavity. Such engagement facilitates a stable connection between the control body and the cartridge and establishes an electrical connection between the power supply 212 and control components 208 in the control body and the heater 222 in the cartridge. Furthermore, the control body shell 206 may include an air intake 236, which may be a notch in the shell, where the notch is connected to the coupler, allowing ambient air around the coupler to pass through and into the shell, then through the cavity 232 of the coupler, and into the cartridge via the projection 234.

[0056] Useful couplers and bases provided herein are described in Novak et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495, which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the coupler 230 may define an outer circumference 238 configured to pair with the inner circumference 240 of the base 228. In one example, the inner circumference of the base may define a radius substantially equal to or slightly larger than the radius of the outer circumference of the coupler. Furthermore, the coupler may define one or more protrusions 242 on its outer circumference configured to engage with one or more recesses 244 defined on the inner circumference of the base. However, the base may be connected to the coupler using various other example structures, shapes and components. In some examples, the connection between the base of the cartridge 104 and the coupler of the control body 102 may be substantially permanent, while in other examples the connection between them may be detachable, for example, so that the control body can be reused with one or more additional cartridges which may be disposable and / or refillable.

[0057] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. In other examples, additional shapes and dimensions are included, such as rectangular or triangular cross-sections, polyhedral shapes, etc.

[0058] The reservoir 218 shown in Figure 2 may be a container or a fibrous reservoir as described herein. For example, in this example, the reservoir may comprise one or more layers of nonwoven fibers substantially formed in the shape of a tube surrounding the interior of a cartridge shell 216. An aerosol precursor composition can be held within the reservoir. For example, liquid components can be adsorbed and held by the reservoir. The reservoir can be fluidly connected to a liquid transport element 220. In this example, the liquid transport element can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir to a heater 222, which is in the form of a metal wire coil, by capillary action. Thus, the heater is in a heating arrangement with the liquid transport element. Exemplary embodiments of reservoirs and transport elements useful for aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure are described further below, and such reservoirs and / or transport elements can be incorporated into devices such as the one shown in Figure 2 as described herein. In particular, certain combinations of heating members and transport elements, further described below, may be incorporated into devices such as the one shown in Figure 2 as described herein.

[0059] When the user inhales the aerosol delivery device 100 during use, the flow sensor 210 detects the airflow, and the heater 222 is activated to vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition. When the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device is inhaled, ambient air enters the intake port 236 and passes through the cavity 232 in the coupler 230 and the central opening in the projection 234 of the base 228. In the cartridge 104, the inhaled air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is blown away from the heater, inhaled, or otherwise sucked out through the opening 224 in the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0060] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a number of additional software control functions. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include a power protection circuit configured to detect power input, load to power terminals, and charge input. The power protection circuit may include short-circuit protection, undervoltage lockout and / or overvoltage charge protection, and battery temperature compensation. The aerosol delivery device may also include a component for ambient temperature measurement, and its control component 208 may be configured to control at least one functional element to prohibit power charging (in particular of any battery) if the ambient temperature falls below a certain temperature (e.g., 0°C) or exceeds a certain temperature (e.g., 45°C) before charging starts or during charging.

[0061] Power delivery from power supply 212 may vary throughout each revving using the device 100, according to a power control mechanism. The device may include a “long revving” safety timer so that if a user or component failure (e.g., flow sensor 210) causes the device to attempt continuous revving, the control component 208 may control at least one functional element to automatically terminate revving after a certain period (e.g., 4 seconds). Furthermore, the time between revvings using the device may be limited to less than a certain period (e.g., 100 seconds). The watchdog safety timer may automatically reset the aerosol delivery device if its control component or software running on the aerosol delivery device becomes unstable and fails to service the timer within a suitable time interval (e.g., 8 seconds). Further safety protections may be provided, such as permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device to prevent accidental overheating in the event of a defect or failure of the flow sensor 210. If the pressure sensor malfunctions and the device is continuously activated without stopping after a maximum revving time of 4 seconds, the rev limit switch may shut down the device.

[0062] The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a blow-tracking algorithm configured to lock out the heater when a defined number of blows are achieved for an installed cartridge (based on the number of available blows calculated in relation to the e-liquid filling in the cartridge). The aerosol delivery device may include sleep, standby, or low-power mode functions, thereby automatically shutting off power delivery after a defined period of inactivity. Further safety protection may be provided in such a way that every charge / discharge cycle of the power supply 212 can be monitored by the control component 208 over its lifetime. After the power supply has reached a predetermined number of cycles (e.g., 200) equivalent to a full discharge and full recharge cycle, the power supply may be declared depleted, and the control component may control at least one functional element to prevent the power supply from being further charged.

[0063] Various components of the aerosol delivery apparatus described herein can be selected from components described and commercially available in the art currently. Examples of batteries that can be used in accordance with this disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 by Peckerar et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] The aerosol delivery device 100 may incorporate a sensor 210 or another sensor or detector to control the power supply to the heater 222 when aerosol generation is desired (for example, when inhaled during use). Thus, a configuration or method is provided for, for example, to turn off the power supply to the heater when the aerosol delivery device is not inhaled during use, and to turn on the power supply to activate or trigger the generation of heat by the heater during inhalation. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 by Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al., and Flick's PCT Patent Application Publication International Publication No. 2010 / 003480, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0065] The aerosol delivery device 100 most preferably incorporates a control component 208 or another control mechanism for controlling the amount of power supplied to the heater 222 during suction. Typical types of electronic components, their structures and configurations, their characteristics, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 by Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 by Pan, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 by Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 by Collet et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0270727 by Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0257445 by Henry et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0066] Typical types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in Newton's U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569, Chapman et al.'s U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487, Davis et al.'s U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780, and Bless et al.'s U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, various wicking materials and the composition and operation of those wicking materials in certain types of e-cigarettes are described in Sears et al.'s U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0209105, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] Aerosol precursor compositions, also called vapor precursor compositions, may comprise a variety of components, including, for example, polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract, and / or flavorings. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 by Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0213417 by Chong et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 by Collett 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 in International Publication No. 2014 / 182736 by Bowen et al. and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 222,615 filed on 28 July 2016, and these disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include the aerosol precursors incorporated into RJReynolds Vapor Company's VUSE(R) products, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC's BLU(TM) products, Mistic Ecigs' MISTIC MENTHOL products, and CN Creative Ltd.'s VYPE products. The so-called "smoke juice" for e-cigarettes available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC is also desirable.

[0068] Embodiments of the foaming material can be used in conjunction with the aerosol precursor, and embodiments of the foaming material are described, for example, in Hunt et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0055494, 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., and U.S. Patent No. 8,627,828 by Strickland et al., as well as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010 / 0018539 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010 / 0170522 by Sun et al., and PCT International Publication No. 97 / 06786 by Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further descriptions relating to embodiments of the aerosol precursor composition, including a description of tobacco or tobacco-derived components contained in the aerosol precursor composition, are provided in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 216,582 and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 216,590, both filed on 21 July 2016, and are incorporated herein by reference.

[0069] Visual indicators and related components, auditory indicators, tactile indicators, and other components that provide visual stimuli, or representative additional types of indicators, may be used in the aerosol delivery device 100. Examples of suitable LED components, as well as their configurations and uses, 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 Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216233 by Sears et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0070] Further features, control units, or components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery apparatus of this disclosure are all incorporated herein by reference to Harris et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148, Watkins et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289, Counts et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979, Fleischhauer et al. U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560, Hon U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742, Fernando et al. U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976, and Katase U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016. This is described in Patent No. 550, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063 by Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 by Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 by Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 by Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 by Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 by Novak et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 by DePiano et al.

[0071] As shown above, the control component 208 includes a number of electronic components, which in some examples may be formed from a PCB. The electronic components may include a microprocessor or processor core and memory. In some examples, the control component may include a microcontroller having an integrated processor core and memory, and may further include one or more integrated input / output peripherals. In some examples, the control component may be coupled to a communication interface 246 to enable wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices or other appropriately enabled devices. An example of a preferred communication interface is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 638,562 by Marion et al., filed March 4, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference. Another example of a preferred communication interface is the CC3200 single-chip wireless microcontroller unit (MCU) from Texas Instruments. Furthermore, examples of preferred configurations in which the aerosol delivery device may be configured for wireless communication are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007651 by Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0219933 by Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0072] According to some exemplary embodiments, the cartridge 104 includes a light source 248 and a photodetector 250 for measuring the aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir 218. More specifically, in some exemplary embodiments, the light source is configured to emit light (e.g., visible light, infrared light) into the reservoir. The photodetector is then configured to detect the reflection of the light, which indicates the amount of aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir. In some examples, at least a portion of the reservoir defines a cylinder or n-sided prism having opposing parallel bases, each connected by a curved surface or other n faces. In these examples, the light source and photodetector may be positioned between the bases or in close proximity to one of the bases.

[0073] In some examples, the reflection of light indicates the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of the aerosol precursor composition. More specifically, for example, a reflection intensity below a threshold intensity may indicate the presence of at least a threshold amount; or conversely, a reflection intensity above a threshold intensity may indicate the absence of at least a threshold amount. In these examples, the light source 248 and the photodetector 250 are positioned between bases defined by the reservoir 218.

[0074] In other examples, the time of flight (TOF) between the emission of light into the reservoir by the light source 248 and the detection of the reflection by the photodetector 250 is proportional to the height (e.g., between bases) of the aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir 218, thereby indicating the height (e.g., between bases) of the aerosol precursor composition held in the reservoir 218. In these examples, the volume of the aerosol precursor composition may be calculated using the TOF. More specifically, for example, multiple TOFs may be associated with their respective heights. The TOF from the light source to the photodetector may be compared with multiple TOFs to identify the closest TOF, and the height of the aerosol precursor composition may be determined to be the height associated with the closest TOF. In these examples, the light source 248 and the photodetector 250 are positioned in close proximity to one of the bases defined by the reservoir.

[0075] In some examples, the light source 248 is an LED configured to emit light into a reservoir 218, and the photodetector 250 is configured to measure the reflection of light. Suitable photodetector examples include photodiodes, photoresistors, phototransistors, etc. Another specific example of a suitable photodetector is the OPT3001 digital ambient light sensor (ALS) from Texas Instruments. In yet another example, the photodetector is a color sensor that includes a color pass filter and a photodetector for each of several colors, and the reflection of light includes components for each of the several colors. An example of a suitable color sensor is the BH1745NUC digital color sensor from ROHM Semiconductor. In yet another example, the light source and photodetector may be embodied by the RPR-0521RS optical proximity sensor and ambient light sensor with an IrLED from ROHM Semiconductor.

[0076] Regardless of the exact manner in which the reflection of light emitted into the reservoir 218 is detected, at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be controlled based on the reflection of light. More specifically, in some examples, the control component may be configured to control the operation of the functional elements of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection of light, and thus on the amount of the aerosol precursor composition (e.g., at least the presence / absence and height of a threshold amount). As illustrated in the following example, this control component may be the control component 208 of the control body 102. However, it should be understood that the control component may instead be another control component of the control body or cartridge 104.

[0077] The functional elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be controlled in one of several different ways based on light reflection and, consequently, the amount of aerosol precursor composition. For example, the functional elements may be controlled to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device. This may include, for example, enabling or disabling the operation of one or more components of the aerosol delivery device when the light reflection indicates the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of aerosol precursor composition, respectively. Alternatively, similar functionality may be used to limit the active mode operation of the aerosol delivery device 100 to only when both the flow sensor 210 detects airflow through the aerosol delivery device and the light reflection indicates the presence of at least a threshold amount of aerosol precursor composition.

[0078] In addition to, or instead of, controlling the lock state of the aerosol delivery device 100, indicators 252 (e.g., visual, audible, tactile indicators) may be controlled to provide user-perceptible feedback (e.g., visual, audible, tactile feedback) indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition. The feedback may include, for example, visual, audible, and / or tactile notifications that the amount of aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir 218 exceeds a threshold amount, is just at a threshold amount, or is below a threshold amount. If the amount falls below a threshold amount, the indicators may warn the user by providing user-perceptible feedback such as an alarm, buzzer, vibration, or visual indicator (e.g., LED).

[0079] In some examples, the reflection of light indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition also indicates the absorption characteristics of the aerosol precursor composition. In these examples, the control component 208 is further configured to authenticate the aerosol precursor composition based on a comparison of its absorption characteristics with known absorption characteristics, and to control the operation of a functional element based on the authentication. This may include, for example, controlling a functional element to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device 100. More specifically, for example, the operation of one or more components of the aerosol delivery device may be enabled if the absorption characteristics match or are within a tolerance margin from the known absorption characteristics. Conversely, the operation of one or more components of the aerosol delivery device may be disabled if the absorption characteristics do not match or are outside a tolerance margin from the known absorption characteristics.

[0080] In some examples where the reflection of light also indicates the absorption properties of the aerosol precursor composition, the control component 208 may be further configured to date the aerosol precursor composition, thereby providing an indication of the lifetime or freshness of the aerosol precursor composition. This may be achieved based on a comparison of the absorption properties with a known range of absorption properties. The control component may thus further control the operation of the functional elements based on the expiration date of the aerosol precursor composition. This may include, for example, the control of indicators 252 (e.g., visual indicators, auditory indicators, tactile indicators) to provide user-perceptible feedback (e.g., visual, audible, tactile feedback) indicating the expiration date of the aerosol precursor composition. The feedback may include, for example, visual, audible, and / or tactile notifications that the expiration date of the aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir 218 is less than a threshold expiration date, is exactly the threshold date, or is above the threshold date.

[0081] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in some examples where the control unit 102 includes a communication interface 246, the aerosol delivery device may communicate wirelessly with a computing device 300 (external computing device) located outside the aerosol delivery device 100. This computing device may also be embodied as one of many different devices, such as one of many different mobile computers. More specific examples of suitable mobile computers include portable computers (e.g., laptops, notebooks, tablet computers), mobile phones (e.g., cellular phones, smartphones), and wearable computers (e.g., smartwatches). In other examples, the computing device may be embodied as something other than a mobile computer, such as a desktop computer or a server computer.

[0082] In some examples, the control component 208 is then configured to wirelessly transmit any of the above information that may be indicated by reflection, such as its intensity or TOF, the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of the aerosol precursor composition, and the absorption characteristics of the aerosol precursor composition, to the communication interface 246. This information may also be wirelessly transmitted to a computing device 300 configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the computing device based on it. Similar to the aerosol delivery device 100, the functional elements of the computing device may be controlled in any of a number of different ways based on the information indicated by reflection. For example, the indicators 302 of the computing device (e.g., visual indicators, auditory indicators, tactile indicators) may be controlled to provide user-perceptible feedback (e.g., visual, audible, tactile feedback), as in the ways described above with respect to the aerosol delivery device.

[0083] Although not shown separately, in addition to or instead of the control unit 102, the cartridge 104 may also include a light source and a photodetector, and possibly an indicator. The light source, photodetector, and indicator in the cartridge may be similar to those found in the control unit as described herein.

[0084] Furthermore, while the aerosol delivery device 100 described above includes a light source and a photodetector for determining the amount or characteristics of the aerosol precursor composition in the cartridge, it should be understood that the aerosol delivery device may be equipped with at least a photodetector for other useful purposes. For example, either the control unit or the cartridge may be equipped with a photodetector configured to measure ambient light, and the photodetector may be used alone or in combination with other sensors used to determine when the aerosol delivery device is unlikely to be placed for use and to lock the device. This could be useful for determining when a user has held the aerosol delivery device behind their ear, similar to determining when a smartphone is held to the user's ear.

[0085] The descriptions of the use of the articles herein may be applied to the various exemplary embodiments described herein through minor modifications that may be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of further disclosures provided herein. However, the above descriptions of use are not intended to limit the use of the articles and are provided to comply with all necessary disclosure requirements of this disclosure. Any elements shown in Figures 1 to 3 or otherwise shown in the articles described above may be included in aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure.

[0086] Those skilled in the art, who have an interest in the teachings shown in the above description and the associated drawings, and to whom this disclosure relates, will likely envision many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure described herein. Therefore, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, while the above description and the associated drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments in light of specific combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, different combinations of elements and / or functions other than those explicitly described above are also conceivable, for example, as may be described in some 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. Aerosol delivery device, A cartridge comprising a housing surrounding a material configured to generate an inhalable substance when heated, A light source configured to emit light within the cartridge, A photodetector disposed within a housing and configured to measure ambient light indicating that an aerosol delivery device may be positioned for use, wherein at least one photodetector is further configured to detect the reflection of light from a light source indicating the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of material, A control component configured to heat a material in an aerosol delivery device to generate an inhalable substance, further configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on ambient light measured by the photodetector, wherein the control component is further configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflected light thus detected, and by extension, the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of material. An aerosol delivery device equipped with the following features.

2. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein a control component configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device includes a control component configured to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device when ambient light indicates that the aerosol delivery device is not positioned for use.

3. The aerosol delivery device further includes a sensor configured to control the power supply to the cartridge in response to inhalation of the aerosol delivery device during use, The reflection of light from the light source also reveals the properties of the material inside the cartridge. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the control component is further configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection thus detected.

4. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein a control component configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of material is further configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceptible feedback indicating the amount of material present.

5. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein a control component configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of material is further configured to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device based on the amount of material present.

6. The aerosol delivery apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one photodetector is a color sensor including a color pass filter and a photodetector for each of a plurality of colors, and the measured reflection of light includes components for each of the plurality of colors.

7. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, comprising an aerosol precursor composition held in a reservoir, the material configured to generate an inhalable substance when heated.

8. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the control components are further configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceptible feedback indicating that the aerosol delivery device is likely to be positioned for use.

9. The light reflection that shows the properties of the material inside the cartridge also shows the absorption properties of the material. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the control components are further configured to authenticate a material based on a comparison of its absorption properties with known absorption properties, and to further control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the authentication.

10. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 9, further comprising a control component configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on authentication, the control component configured to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device.

11. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 9, wherein the control components are further configured to date a material based on a comparison of its absorption characteristics with a known absorption characteristic range, and to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the date of the material.

12. The aerosol delivery apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control component is further configured to control an indicator to provide user-perceptible feedback indicating the expiration date of the aerosol precursor composition.

13. A cartridge configured to be connected to a control unit to form an aerosol delivery device, wherein the control unit is equipped with control components, and the cartridge is A housing surrounding a material configured to generate an inhalable substance when heated, A light source configured to emit light within the cartridge, A cartridge comprising at least one photodetector disposed within a housing and configured to measure ambient light indicating that an aerosol delivery device may be positioned for use, the at least one photodetector being connected to a control component when the cartridge is coupled to a control body, the at least one photodetector being further configured to detect reflections of light from a light source indicating the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of material, the control component being configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to heat material to generate an inhalable substance and to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on ambient light measured by the photodetector, and the control component being further configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection thus detected and, consequently, the presence or absence of at least a threshold amount of material.

14. The cartridge according to claim 13, further comprising at least one photodetector configured to detect reflections of light from a light source indicating the properties of the material in the cartridge, and a control component further configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflections thus detected.

15. A control body configured to be connected to a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, wherein the cartridge includes a material configured to generate an inhalable substance when heated, a light source configured to emit light within the cartridge, and at least one photodetector disposed within a housing and configured to measure ambient light indicating that the aerosol delivery device may be positioned for use, and the control body The housing, and inside the housing, A control body comprising a control component connected to a photodetector when the control body is connected to a cartridge, the control component configured to heat a material in an aerosol delivery device to generate an inhalable substance, and to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on ambient light measured by a photodetector, wherein at least one photodetector is further configured to detect the reflection of light from a light source indicating the properties of the material in the cartridge, and the control component is further configured to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the reflection thus detected.

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