Aerosol delivery system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol providing system (300) for generating an aerosol, wherein the system (300) includes a feedback portion (200) for providing feedback (F) to a user (400) of the aerosol providing system (300). The feedback portion (200) is configured to provide feedback (F) after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, and is further configured not to provide feedback (F) while the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode. In this way, the feedback (F) can be delivered at an appropriate time after the user (400) has finished operating the aerosol providing system (300), and, for example, when the aerosol providing device from the aerosol providing system (300) is not in the user's mouth, the user (400) can more easily and readily see the feedback (F).

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as nicotine delivery systems (e.g., electronic cigarettes, etc.), but is not limited thereto. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic aerosol delivery systems often adopt electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or, more commonly, aerosol delivery devices. Such aerosol delivery systems typically contain an aerosolizable material (also called an aerosol-generating material), such as a reservoir of fluid or liquid containing a formulation containing nicotine (but not necessarily), or a solid material, such as a tobacco-based product—from which vapor / aerosol is generated for inhalation by a user, for example, through thermal evaporation. Thus, an aerosol delivery system will typically include an evaporator (also called an aerosol generator), such as a heating element, arranged to aerosolize a portion of the aerosolizable material to generate vapor.

[0003] When vapor is generated, the vapor may pass through a flavoring material to add flavor to the vapor (unless the aerosol-capable material is itself flavored), and then, the (flavored) vapor may be delivered to the user through a mouthpiece from an aerosol delivery system.

[0004] A potential drawback of many existing aerosol delivery systems and related aerosol delivery devices is that they cannot provide appropriate feedback to the user in a manner where the feedback is easily apparent to the user. Accordingly, various approaches are described herein to help resolve or mitigate some of these problems by using a feedback section that can provide user feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in operating mode, at a time other than when the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in operating mode.

[0005] According to a first aspect of specific embodiments, an aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol is provided, and the aerosol providing system is,

[0006] It includes a feedback section for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol dispensing system, wherein the feedback section is configured to provide feedback after the aerosol dispensing system generates aerosol in operating mode, and is additionally configured not to provide feedback while the aerosol dispensing system generates aerosol in operating mode.

[0007] According to a second aspect of specific embodiments, a method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol is provided, and the method is,

[0008] A step of providing feedback to a user of the aerosol providing system using a feedback portion at a time other than while the aerosol providing system is generating aerosol in the operating mode, after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in the operating mode.

[0009] It will be understood that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to various aspects of the invention are equally applicable and can be combined with embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention as well as the specific combinations described herein. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0010] Now, embodiments of the present invention will be described merely as examples with reference to the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device (shown as separated) according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 schematically shows an exploded perspective view of the components of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of Figure 1. FIGS. 3a to 3c schematically show various cross-sectional views of the housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. FIGS. 4A and FIGS. 4B schematically show a perspective view and a plan view of the dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. FIGS. 5a to 5c schematically show two perspective views and a plan view of the elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol supply system of FIG. 1. FIGS. 6A and FIGS. 6B schematically show a perspective view and a plan view of the bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates embodiments of an aerosol providing system that can be used with an aerosol providing system such as that shown in FIG. 1 to 6b, and according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol providing system includes a feedback portion configured to provide feedback after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, and not provide feedback while the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode. FIG. 8a schematically illustrates an embodiment of an aerosol providing system comprising an aerosol providing system and a feedback portion at a first time in which the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8b schematically illustrates an embodiment of the aerosol providing system of FIG. 8a at a second time after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in an operating mode, according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure—which corresponds to the case where the feedback part provides feedback. FIG. 8c schematically illustrates an embodiment of the aerosol providing system of FIG. 8a at a third time following a second time—where the third time corresponds to the case where the feedback part provides feedback—after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in the operating mode, according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8d schematically illustrates an embodiment of the aerosol providing system of FIG. 8a at a fourth time following a third time after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in an operating mode, according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure—the fourth time corresponds to a case where the feedback portion no longer provides feedback. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0011] Aspects and features of specific examples and embodiments are discussed and described herein. Some aspects and features of specific examples and embodiments may be implemented orally and are not discussed or described in detail for the sake of brevity. Accordingly, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any prior art for implementing such aspects and features.

[0012] The present disclosure relates to non-combustible aerosol delivery systems (e.g., e-cigarettes). According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is a system in which an aerosol-capable material, which is a component of the aerosol delivery system (or its components), is not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery to a user. An aerosol-capable material, which may also be referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material or an aerosol precursor material, is a material capable of generating an aerosol when heated, irradiated, or energized, for example, in any other way. In some embodiments, the aerosol-capable material may be flavored.

[0013] Throughout the following description, it will be understood that while the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used from time to time, these terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery systems. Electronic cigarettes are also known as vaping devices or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not a requirement.

[0014] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system is a hybrid device configured to generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-capable materials—one or more of which may be heated. In some embodiments, the hybrid device comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-capable material and a solid aerosol-capable material. The solid aerosol-capable material may include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products.

[0015] Typically, a (non-flammable) aerosol delivery system may include a cartridge / consumable part and a main body / reusable / aerosol delivery device part, which is configured to be disengageably engaged with the cartridge / consumable part.

[0016] The aerosol delivery system may be provided with means for supplying power to an evaporator, and may be provided with an aerosol-capable material transport element for receiving an aerosol-capable material to be evaporated. The aerosol delivery system may also be provided with a storage for holding an aerosol-capable material, and in some embodiments, an additional storage for holding a flavoring material for flavoring the vapor generated from the aerosol delivery system may be provided.

[0017] In some embodiments, the evaporator may be a heater / heating element capable of interacting with the aerosol-capable material to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-capable material to form vapor / aerosol. In some embodiments, the evaporator may generate an aerosol from the aerosol-capable material without heating. For example, the evaporator may generate a vapor / aerosol from the aerosol-capable material without applying heat, for example, through one or more of vibration, mechanical, pressurization, or electrostatic means.

[0018] In some embodiments, the material to be delivered may be an aerosolizable material comprising an active component, a carrier component, and optionally one or more other functional components.

[0019] The active ingredient may comprise one or more physiological and / or olfactory active ingredients contained in an aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological and / or olfactory response in the user. The active ingredient may be selected from, for example, nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychoactives. The active ingredient may occur naturally or be obtained synthetically. The active ingredient may comprise, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as vitamin B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their components, derivatives, or combinations. The active ingredient may comprise components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco or other botanicals. In some embodiments, the active ingredient is a physiologically active ingredient and may be selected from nicotine, nicotine salts (e.g., nicotine ditartrate / nicotine bitartrate), nicotine-free tobacco substitutes, other alkaloids such as caffeine, or mixtures thereof.

[0020] In some embodiments, the active ingredient is an olfactory active ingredient and, where permitted by local regulations, may be selected from "flavors" and / or "flavoring agents" that can be used to produce a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory sensation in products for adult consumers. In some cases, these ingredients may be referred to as flavors, flavoring agents, flavoring materials, thermogenic agents, thermogenic agents, and / or sweeteners. These are naturally produced flavoring ingredients, plants, plant extracts, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaves, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, anise seeds, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whisky, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera vera), cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood oil, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel nut, hookah, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia tree, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa,Lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, bay leaf, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, turmeric, coriander, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, It may include tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives, such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, herbal medicines, or breath fresheners. These may be imitations, synthetic or natural components or blends thereof. These are any suitable form, e.g., liquid such as oil, solid such as powder, or gas, one or more extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove),Menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, bell pepper, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol) and charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals,They may be other additives, such as botanicals or breath freshening agents. These may be imitations, synthetic or natural ingredients, or blends thereof. These may be in any suitable form, for example, oil, liquid, or powder.

[0021] In some embodiments, the flavoring material (flavor) may include menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavor includes flavor components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry. In some embodiments, the flavor includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavor includes flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavor may include sensations intended to achieve somatosensory sensations generally chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of flavor or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing fever, cold, tingling, and numbing effects. Suitable fever agents may be vanillyl ethyl ether, but are not limited thereto, and suitable cold agents may be eucalyptol, WS-3, but are not limited thereto.

[0022] The carrier component may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the carrier component may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0023] One or more other functional components may include one or more of pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0024] As mentioned above, aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) may often comprise a modular assembly that includes both a reusable component (body - aerosol delivery device) and a replaceable consumable component (cartridge). Devices following this type of two-component modular configuration may generally be referred to as two-component devices. Additionally, electronic cigarettes generally have an elongated shape. To provide specific examples, certain embodiments of the disclosure described herein may include this type of generally elongated two-component device using consumable components. However, it will be understood that the basic principles described herein may be equally applied to other electronic cigarette configurations, such as modular devices comprising more than two components, as devices corresponding to other overall shapes, such as so-called box-mod high-performance devices that typically have a more boxy shape.

[0025] Accordingly, from the foregoing, with reference to FIG. 1, there is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system (e-cigarette) (1) according to specific embodiments of the disclosure. Terms regarding the relative positions of various embodiments of the electronic cigarette (e.g., upper, lower, top, bottom, top, bottom, etc.) are used herein with reference to the orientation of the electronic cigarette as illustrated in FIG. 1 (unless otherwise indicated by the context). However, it will be understood that this is solely for ease of explanation and is not intended to indicate that any required orientation of the electronic cigarette exists at use.

[0026] The e-cigarette (1) (aerosol delivery system) (1) comprises two main components, namely a cartridge (2) and an aerosol delivery device (4). Although the aerosol delivery device (4) and the cartridge (2) are shown as separate in FIG. 1, they are coupled together when in use.

[0027] The cartridge (2) and the aerosol dispensing device (4) are coupled by establishing a mechanical and electrical connection between them. The specific manner in which the mechanical and electrical connection is established is not of primary importance to the principles described herein and, according to conventional techniques, may be established based on, for example, threads, bayonets, latch joints, or friction-fit mechanical fixtures, and appropriately, electrical contacts / electrodes are appropriately arranged to establish an electrical connection between the two parts. For example, in the electronic cigarette (1) shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge comprises a mouthpiece (33), a mouthpiece end (52), and an interface end (54), and is coupled to the aerosol dispensing device by inserting the interface end portion (6) of the cartridge's interface end into the receptacle (8) / receiving section of the corresponding aerosol dispensing device. The interfacial end portion (6) of the cartridge is close-fitted to the receptacle (8) and includes protrusions (56), which engage with corresponding detents within the inner surface of the receptacle wall (12) defining the receptacle (8) to provide a releaseable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. An electrical connection is established between the aerosol delivery device and the cartridge through a pair of electrical contacts (not shown in FIG. 1) on the lowermost portion of the cartridge and corresponding spring contact pins (not shown in FIG. 1) on the base of the receptacle (8). As mentioned above, the specific manner in which the electrical connection is established is not important to the principles described herein, and in practice, some implementations may not have an electrical connection between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device at all, for example, because power transfer from the reusable component to the cartridge may be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction technologies).

[0028] The electronic cigarette (1) (aerosol delivery system) has a generally elongated shape extending along the longitudinal axis (L). When the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device, the total length of the electronic cigarette (along the longitudinal axis) in this example is about 12.5 cm. The total length of the aerosol delivery device is about 9 cm, and the total length of the cartridge is about 5 cm (i.e., there is an overlap of about 1.5 cm between the interfacial end portion (6) of the cartridge and the receptacle (8) of the aerosol delivery device when they are coupled together). The electronic cigarette has a cross-section that is generally elliptical, largest around the middle of the electronic cigarette, and tapered in a curved manner toward the ends. The cross-section around the middle of the electronic cigarette has a width of about 2.5 cm and a thickness of about 1.7 cm. One end of the cartridge has a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 0.6 mm, while the other end of the electronic cigarette has a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 1.2 cm. In this example, the outer housing of the electronic cigarette is formed of plastic. It will be understood that the specific size and shape of the electronic cigarette and the material from which the electronic cigarette is made are not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may differ in different embodiments. That is, the principles described herein may be adopted equally for electronic cigarettes having different sizes, shapes and / or materials.

[0029] According to specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery device (4) may be broadly conventional in terms of its functionality and general construction techniques. In the example of FIG. 1, the aerosol delivery device (4) comprises a plastic outer housing (10) comprising a receptacle wall (12) that defines a receptacle (8) for receiving the end of a cartridge as described above. In this example, the outer housing (10) of the aerosol delivery device (4) has a generally elliptical cross-section that matches the shape and size of the cartridge (2) at the interface between the two parts to provide a smooth transition between the two parts. The end portion (6) of the cartridge (2) and the receptacle (8) are symmetrical when rotated 180° so that the cartridge can be inserted into the aerosol delivery device in two different orientations. The receptacle wall (12) comprises two aerosol delivery device air inlet openings (14) (i.e., holes in the wall). These openings (14) are positioned to be aligned with the air inlet (50) for the cartridge when the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device. Different openings (14) are aligned with the air inlet (50) of the cartridge in different orientations. It will be understood that some embodiments may not have any degree of rotational symmetry so that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in only one orientation, while other embodiments may have a higher degree of rotational symmetry so that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in more orientations.

[0030] The aerosol providing device further includes a battery (16) for providing operating power for an electronic cigarette, a control circuit (18) for controlling and monitoring the operation of the electronic cigarette, a user input button (20), an indicator light (22), and a charging port (24).

[0031] In this example, the battery (16) may be rechargeable and of a conventional type, for example, a type commonly used in electronic cigarettes and other applications that require the provision of relatively high currents for relatively short periods. The battery (16) may be recharged via a charging port (24) that may include, for example, a USB connector.

[0032] In this example, the input button (20) is a conventional mechanical button and includes a spring-loaded component that can be pressed by a user to establish an electrical contact, for example, in the lower circuit. In this regard, the input button can be considered as an input device for detecting user input, for example, to trigger aerosol generation, and the specific way in which the button is implemented is not important. For example, other forms of mechanical buttons or touch-sensitive buttons (e.g., based on capacitive or optical sensing technologies) may be used in other implementations, or there may be no button, and the device may rely on a puff detector to trigger aerosol generation.

[0033] An indicator light (22) is provided to provide the user with a visual indication of various characteristics associated with the electronic cigarette, such as operating status (e.g., on / off / standby), and other characteristics, such as battery life or fault status. Different characteristics may be displayed, for example, through different colors and / or different flash sequences according to conventional techniques.

[0034] The control circuit (18) is appropriately configured / programmed to control the operation of the electronic cigarette in order to provide conventional operating functions according to established techniques for controlling the electronic cigarette. The control circuit (processor circuit) (18) may be considered to logically include various sub-units / circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the electronic cigarette. For example, depending on the functionality provided in different implementations, the control circuit (18) may include a power supply control circuit for controlling the supply of power from the battery / power source to the cartridge in response to user input, a user programming circuit for setting configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, as well as other function units / circuit related functions according to the principles described herein and the conventional operating aspects of electronic cigarettes, such as a display driving circuit and a user input detection circuit. It will be understood that the functionality of the control circuit section (18) can be provided in various different ways—for example, by using one or more appropriately programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more appropriately configured custom integrated circuit(s) / circuits / chips(s) / chipsets(s) configured to provide the desired function.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a cartridge (2) (disassembled along the longitudinal axis (L)). The cartridge (2) comprises a housing portion (32), an air channel seal portion (34), a dividing wall element (36), an outlet tube (38), an evaporator / heating element (40), an aerosolizable material transport element (42), a plug (44), and an end cap (48) having contact electrodes (46). FIG. 3 through 6 schematically illustrate some of these components in more detail.

[0036] FIG. 3a is a schematic cutaway of the housing portion (32) along the thinnest longitudinal axis (L). FIG. 3b is a schematic cutaway of the housing portion (32) along the widest longitudinal axis (L). FIG. 3c is a schematic diagram of the housing portion along the longitudinal axis (L) from the interface end (54) (i.e., viewed from below in the orientation of FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b).

[0037] FIG. 4a is a schematic perspective view of a dividing wall element (36) seen from below. FIG. 4b is a schematic cross-sectional view through the upper portion of the dividing wall element (36) seen from below.

[0038] FIG. 5a is a schematic perspective view of the plug (44) from above, and FIG. 5b is a schematic perspective view of the plug (44) from below. FIG. 5c is a schematic view of the plug (44) along the longitudinal axis (L) seen from the mouthpiece end (52) of the cartridge (i.e., seen from above with respect to the orientation in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).

[0039] FIG. 6a is a schematic perspective view of the end cap (48) from above. FIG. 6b is a schematic view of the end cap (48) along the longitudinal axis (L) seen from the mouthpiece end (52) of the cartridge (i.e., seen from above).

[0040] In this example, the housing portion (32) includes a housing outer wall (64) and a housing inner tube (62), wherein, in this example, the housing outer wall (64) and the housing inner tube (62) are formed from a single mold of polypropylene. The housing outer wall (64) defines the exterior of the cartridge (2), and the housing inner tube (62) defines a portion of the air channel passing through the cartridge. The housing portion is open at the interface end (54) of the cartridge and closed at the mouthpiece end (52) of the cartridge, except for a mouthpiece opening / aerosol outlet (60) that fluidly communicates with the housing inner tube (62) from the mouthpiece (33). The housing portion (32) includes an opening in the side wall that provides an air inlet (50) for the cartridge. In this example, the air inlet (50) has an area of ​​about 2 mm². The outer surface of the outer wall (64) of the housing part (32) includes the above-described protrusions (56) that engage with corresponding stops within the inner surface of the receptacle wall (12) defining the receptacle (8) to provide a releaseable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. The inner surface of the outer wall (64) of the housing part includes additional protrusions (66) that act to provide an abutment stop for positioning the split wall element (36) along the longitudinal axis (L) when the cartridge is assembled. The outer wall (64) of the housing part (32) further includes holes providing latch recesses (68) arranged to accommodate latch protrusions (70) corresponding to the end cap to secure the end cap to become the housing part when the cartridge is assembled.

[0041] The outer wall (64) of the housing portion (32) includes a double-wall section (74) that defines a gap (76) in fluid communication with the air inlet (50). The gap (76) provides a portion of an air channel through the cartridge. In this example, the double-wall section (74) of the housing portion (32) is arranged to define an air channel that extends within the outer wall (64) of the housing parallel to the longitudinal axis, having a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of approximately 3 mm². The gap / part of the air channel (76) defined by the double-wall section of the housing portion extends downward to the open end of the housing portion (32).

[0042] The air channel seal (34) is a silicone molding in the form of a tube having a through hole (80). The outer wall of the air channel seal (34) includes circumferential ridges (84) and an upper collar (82). The inner wall of the air channel seal (34) also includes circumferential ridges, but these are not visible in FIG. 2. When the cartridge is assembled, the air channel seal (34) is mounted on the housing inner tube (62), and the end of the housing inner tube (62) extends partially into the through hole (80) of the air channel seal (34). The through hole (80) in the air channel seal has a diameter of about 5.8 mm in the relaxed state, while the end of the housing inner tube (62) has a diameter of about 6.2 mm, so that a seal is formed when the air channel seal (34) is extended to accommodate the housing inner tube (62). This seal is made possible by ridges on the inner surface of the air channel seal (34).

[0043] The outlet tube (38) comprises, for example, a tubular section made of ANSI 304 stainless steel or polypropylene having an inner diameter of about 8.6 mm and a wall thickness of about 0.2 mm. The lowest end of the outlet tube (38) comprises a pair of opposite slots (88), each having a semicircular recess (90) at the end of the respective slot. When the cartridge is assembled, the outlet tube (38) is mounted on the outer surface of the air channel seal (34). The outer diameter of the air channel seal is about 9.0 mm in its relaxed state, and accordingly, a seal is formed when the air channel seal (34) is compressed to fit inside the outlet tube (38). This seal is made possible by ridges (84) on the outer surface of the air channel seal (34). A collar (80) on the air channel seal (34) provides a stop for the outlet tube (38).

[0044] The aerosol-capable material transport element (42) includes a capillary wick, and the evaporator (aerosol generator) (40) includes a resistance wire heater wound around the capillary wick. In addition to the portion of the resistance wire wound around the capillary wick, the evaporator includes electric leads (41), which are transmitted through holes in the plug (44) to contact electrodes (46) mounted on the end cap (54), thereby allowing power to be supplied to the evaporator through an electrical interface established when the cartridge is connected to the aerosol-providing device. The evaporator leads (41) may include the same material as the resistance wire wound around the capillary wick, or may include a different material (e.g., a lower-resistance material) connected to the resistance wire wound around the capillary wick. In this example, the heater coil (40) includes a nickel-iron alloy wire, and the wick (42) includes a glass fiber bundle. Evaporators and aerosol-capable material transport elements may be provided according to any prior art and may comprise different forms and / or different materials. For example, in some embodiments, the wick may comprise a fibrous or solid ceramic material, and the heater may comprise a different alloy. In other examples, the heater and the wick may be combined, for example, in the form of porous and resistive materials. More generally, it will be understood that the specific properties of the aerosol-capable material transport elements and evaporators are irrelevant to the principles described herein.

[0045] When the cartridge is assembled, the wick (42) is received in the semicircular recesses (90) of the outlet tube (38), so that the central part of the wick, on which the heating coil is wound, is on the inside side of the outlet tube, while the end parts of the wick are on the outside side of the outlet tube (38).

[0046] In this example, the plug (44) comprises a single mold of silicone and may be elastic. The plug comprises a base portion (100), and an outer wall (102) extends upward from the base portion (100) (i.e. toward the mouthpiece end of the cartridge). The plug further comprises an inner wall (104) that extends upward from the base portion (100) and surrounds a through hole (106) that penetrates the base portion (100).

[0047] The outer wall (102) of the plug (44) aligns with the inner surface of the housing portion (32) so that when the cartridge is assembled, the plug (44) forms a seal with the housing portion (32). The inner wall (104) of the plug (44) aligns with the inner surface of the outlet tube (38), so that when the cartridge is assembled, the plug (44) also forms a seal with the outlet tube (38). The inner wall (104) includes a pair of opposite slots (108), each having a semicircular recess (110) at the end of each slot. Extending outward from the bottom of each slot of the inner wall (104) (i.e., in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of the cartridge) is a cradle section (112) shaped to accommodate a section of the aerosol-capable material transport element (42) when the cartridge is assembled. The slots (108) and semicircular recesses (110) provided by the inner wall of the plug (44), and the slots (88) and semicircular recesses (90) of the outlet tube (38) are aligned to accommodate individual cradles (112) together with the individual semicircular recesses of the outlet tube and plug, which cooperate to define the holes—through which the aerosolizable material transport element passes—through which the slots (88) of the outlet tube (38) define. The size of the holes provided by the semicircular recesses through which the aerosolizable material transport element passes corresponds closely to the size and shape of the aerosolizable material transport element, but is slightly smaller, so that some degree of compression is provided by the elasticity of the plug (44). This allows the aerosolizable material to be transported along the aerosolizable material transport element by capillary action, while limiting the extent to which the aerosolizable material that is not transported by capillary action can pass through the openings. As mentioned above, the plug (44) includes additional openings (114) in the base portion (100), and when the cartridge is assembled, contact leads (41) for the evaporator pass through the openings (114).The lowest part of the base portion of the plug includes spacers (116) that maintain an offset between the remaining surface of the lowest part of the base portion and the end cap (48). These spacers (116) include openings (114), through which electrical contact leads (41) for the evaporator pass.

[0048] The end cap (48) includes a polypropylene molding having a pair of gold-plated copper electrode posts (46) mounted inside.

[0049] The ends of the electrode posts (44) on the lower side of the end cap are close to the interface end (54) of the cartridge provided by the end cap (48). These are the parts of the electrodes to which correspondingly aligned spring contacts are connected within the aerosol providing device (4) when the cartridge (2) is assembled and connected to the aerosol providing device (4). The ends of the electrode posts on the inner side of the cartridge extend away from the end cap (48) and into the holes (114) of the plug (44), through which the contact leads (41) pass. The electrode posts are slightly oversized relative to the holes (114) and include chamfers at their upper ends to enable insertion into the holes (114) of the plug, which are maintained in pressurized contact with the contact leads for the evaporator by the plug.

[0050] The end cap has an upright wall (120) that matches the inner surface of the base section (124) and the housing portion (32). The upright wall (120) of the end cap (48) is inserted into the housing portion (32) so that the latch protrusions (70) engage with the latch recesses (68) of the housing portion (32) to snap-fit ​​the end cap (48) to the housing portion when the cartridge is assembled. The upper end of the upright wall (120) of the end cap (48) contacts the periphery of the plug (44), and the lower surface of the spacers (116) on the plug also contacts the base section (124) of the plug, so that when the end cap (48) is attached to the housing portion, the end cap is pressed against the elastic portion (44) to keep the end cap in a slightly compressed state.

[0051] The base portion (124) of the end cap (48) includes a peripheral lip (126) extending beyond the base of an upright wall (112) having a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the outer wall of the housing portion at the interface end of the cartridge. Additionally, the end cap includes an upright locating pin (122) aligned with a corresponding locating hole (128) of the plug to help establish their relative positions during assembly.

[0052] The split wall element (36) comprises a single molding of polypropylene and includes a split wall (130) and a collar (132) formed by protrusions extending from the split wall (130) toward the interface end of the cartridge. The split wall element (36) has a central opening (134) through which the outlet tube (38) passes (i.e., the split wall is arranged around the outlet tube (38)). In some embodiments, the split wall element (36) may be formed integrally with the outlet tube (38). When the cartridge is assembled, the upper surface of the outer wall (102) of the plug (44) engages with the lower surface of the split wall (130), and the upper surface of the split wall (130) engages, in turn, with the protrusions (66) on the inner surface of the outer wall (64) of the housing portion (32). Accordingly, the dividing wall (130) prevents the plug from being pushed too far into the housing portion (32), that is, the dividing wall (130) is fixedly positioned along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge by the protrusions (66) of the housing portion and thus provides a plug having a fixed surface for pushing. The collar (132) formed by the protrusions from the dividing wall includes a first pair of opposing protrusions / tongues (134) that engage with corresponding recesses on the inner surface of the outer wall (102) of the plug (44). The protrusions from the dividing wall (130) further provide a pair of cradle sections (136) configured to engage with corresponding cradle sections (112) within the plug (44) when the cartridge is assembled, in order to further define an opening through which an aerosol-capable material transport element passes.

[0053] When the cartridge (2) is assembled, an air channel is formed extending from the air inlet (50) through the cartridge to the aerosol outlet (60). Starting from the air inlet (50) on the side wall of the housing portion (32), a first section of the air channel is provided by a gap (76) formed by a double-wall section (74) on the outer wall (64) of the housing portion (32), and extends from the air inlet (50) toward the interface end (54) of the cartridge through the plug (44). A second section of the air channel is provided by a gap between the base of the plug (44) and the end cap (48). A third section of the air channel is provided by a hole (106) through the plug (44). A fourth section of the air channel is provided by an outlet tube around the evaporator (40) and a section within the inner wall (104) of the plug. Additionally, this fourth part of the air channel may be referred to as the aerosol / aerosol generating zone, which is the primary zone where aerosol is generated during use. The air channel from the air inlet (50) to the aerosol generating zone may be referred to as the air inlet section of the air channel. The fifth part of the air channel is provided by the remainder of the outlet tube (38). The sixth part of the air channel is provided by an outer housing inner tube (62) located at the end of the mouthpiece (33) that connects the air channel to the aerosol outlet (60). The air channel from the aerosol generating zone, which will become the aerosol outlet, may be referred to as the aerosol outlet section of the air channel.

[0054] Additionally, when the cartridge is assembled, a reservoir (31) for the aerosolizable material is formed by the space outside the air channel and inside the housing portion (32). This can be filled during manufacturing, for example, through a filling hole—which is then sealed—or by other means. The specific properties of the aerosolizable material, for example in terms of its composition, are not of primary importance to the principles described herein, and generally, any conventional aerosolizable material of the type normally used in electronic cigarettes may be used. The present disclosure may refer to a liquid as the aerosolizable material, which may be a conventional e-liquid as mentioned above. However, the principles of the present disclosure apply to any aerosolizable material that has flowability and may include a liquid, gel, or solid, wherein, in the case of a solid, a plurality of solid particles may be considered to have flowability when considered as a bulk.

[0055] The reservoir is closed at the interfacial end of the cartridge by a plug (44). The reservoir comprises a first zone above the dividing wall (130) and a second zone below the dividing wall (130) within the space formed between the outer wall of the plug and the air channel. An aerosolizable material transport element (capillary wick) (42) passes through openings in the wall of the air channel provided by the semicircular recesses (108, 90) of the plug (44) and the outlet tube (38) and the cradle sections (112, 136) of the plug (44) and the dividing wall element (36)—which interlock with each other as discussed above. Thus, the ends of the aerosolizable material transport element extend into the second zone of the reservoir, and from the second zone of the reservoir, they draw aerosolizable material into the evaporator (40) through the openings of the air channel for subsequent vaporization.

[0056] In normal use, the cartridge (2) is coupled to an aerosol providing device and an aerosol providing device (4) that are activated to supply power to the cartridge through contact electrodes (46) within the end cap (48). Then, power is transferred to the evaporator (40) through connection leads (41). Thus, the evaporator is electrically heated to evaporate a portion of the aerosol-capable material from the aerosol-capable material transport element near the evaporator. This generates an aerosol in the aerosol-generating zone of the air path. The aerosol-capable material evaporated from the aerosol-capable material transport element is replaced by more aerosol-capable material drawn from the reservoir by capillary action. While the evaporator is activated, the user inhales through the mouthpiece end (52) of the cartridge. This causes air to be drawn in either way, where the aerosol-capable device air inlet (14) aligns with the cartridge air inlet (50) (this will depend on the orientation in which the cartridge is inserted within the aerosol-capable device receptacle (8)). Then, air enters the cartridge through the air inlet (50), passes along the gap (76) in the double-walled section (74) of the housing part (32), and passes between the plug (44) and the end cap (48) before entering the aerosol generating zone surrounding the evaporator (40) through the hole (106) in the base part (100) of the plug (44). The incoming air mixes with the aerosol generated from the evaporator to form a condensed aerosol, which is then drawn along the outlet tube (38) and inside the housing part (62) before exiting through the mouthpiece outlet / aerosol outlet (60) for user inhalation.

[0057] From FIGS. 1 to 6b above, possible embodiment configurations of an aerosol providing system (1) configured to produce an aerosol suitable for use in the context of the present disclosure (potentially together with other types of aerosol providing systems) can be seen.

[0058] Now, referring to FIGS. 7 through 9b, the present disclosure also provides an aerosol providing system (300) for generating an aerosol (which may be based on, for example, the aerosol providing system (1) as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6b, but any other form of aerosol providing system capable of generating an aerosol may also be used), and the aerosol providing system (300) further comprises a feedback portion (200) for providing feedback (F) to a user (400) of the aerosol providing system (300). In a general sense, the feedback portion (200) is configured to provide feedback (F) after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, and is further configured not to provide feedback (F) while the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode. Accordingly, in this way, feedback (F) regarding the mode of operation can be provided at an appropriate time after the user has completed the system operation, for example, when the aerosol delivery device (4) (and / or any related cartridge (2) in which such a cartridge type array is adopted) is unlikely to be in the user's mouth, thereby making it easier for the user (400) to see the feedback (F) and also reducing the likelihood that the feedback (F) will not be noticed or seen by the user (400).

[0059] As mentioned above, the feedback portion (200) provides feedback (F) at some time after the aerosol providing system (or aerosol providing device (4)) generates aerosol in an operating mode (i.e., some time after the situation / position in FIG. 8a), and allows feedback (F) to be provided in a time window after aerosol is generated in a given operating mode (according to FIG. 8b and FIG. 8c), and can be configured to provide feedback (F) sufficiently quickly so that feedback (F) can continue to be provided while the user (400) is holding the aerosol providing device in their hand, in contrast to when the device is located far from the user's (400) line of sight, such as in the user's bag (401) or pocket (according to FIG. 8d).

[0060] Therefore, upon recognizing the above, in order to allow at least a certain period of time for the user (400) to take the aerosol providing device out of their mouth so that any provided feedback (F) becomes much more clear to the user (400), according to some embodiments, the feedback portion (200) may be configured to provide (i.e., start providing) the feedback (F) within 10 seconds at the latest (no later than); within 8 seconds at the latest; within 5 seconds at the latest; within 4 seconds at the latest; within 3 seconds at the latest; within 2 seconds at the latest; within 1 second at the latest; within 0.8 seconds at the latest; within 0.5 seconds at the latest and / or within 0.3 seconds at the latest, and the aerosol providing system (or more specifically, the aerosol providing device (4)) completes aerosol generation in the operating mode. Here, the term "terminated" may be interpreted as the time when power is no longer supplied to any provided aerosol generator (40) from an aerosol supply system to generate an aerosol in an operating mode according to some embodiments.

[0061] Likewise, so as not to provide feedback (F) too early after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in operating mode, for example, to reduce the likelihood that feedback (F) will be provided while any corresponding aerosol delivery device (4) (or cartridge (2) from therein if such a cartridge is also adopted) is still in the user's mouth (wherein, as illustrated in FIG. 8a, the user (400) becomes more distracted and less able to perceive feedback (F) from the feedback portion (200)), according to some embodiments, the feedback portion (200) may be configured to provide feedback (i.e., start providing) after 5 seconds (no earlier than); after 3 seconds; after 2 seconds; after 1 second; after 0.8 seconds and / or after 0.5 seconds, after the aerosol delivery system has completed generating aerosol in operating mode.

[0062] With respect to the duration 'd' of any provided feedback (F), it will be recognized that this can be selected to be sufficiently long so that the user (400) can best perceive it in sufficient detail, for example, according to the positions of FIG. 8b and FIG. 8c, after the aerosol providing system has completed aerosol generation in the operating mode. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the feedback portion (200) may be configured to provide feedback (F) for a duration 'd' of at least 2 seconds; at least 3 seconds; at least 4 seconds; at least 5 seconds; at least 7 seconds; and / or at least 10 seconds.

[0063] Likewise, according to some embodiments, the aerosol supply system (300) and / or the feedback portion (200) may be configured to provide feedback (F) until a predetermined situation is determined to have occurred by the controller (18) of the aerosol supply system (300).

[0064] For example, and according to some very specific embodiments, a predetermined situation may be the operation of an input button (20) from an aerosol delivery system (or from an aerosol delivery device (4)) (e.g., a user (400) operates the input button (20) to check feedback (F)).

[0065] Another very specific embodiment may be a predetermined situation in which the temperature of the aerosol supply system (300) (e.g., the temperature of the aerosol generator (40)) no longer exceeds a predetermined temperature. In this way, in some specific embodiments, feedback (F) may be provided until the temperature no longer exceeds a predetermined temperature, provided that the feedback (F) may include an indication that the aerosol supply device (4) or the aerosol supply system (300) has experienced a defect such as a defect in the aerosol supply system type in which it is determined that the aerosol supply device (4) or the aerosol supply system (300) has overheated.

[0066] According to some embodiments, if the duration 'd' of the feedback (F) is maintained, the feedback (F) may be configured to be provided for a duration 'd' that is not long enough to excessively consume the power supply (16) and / or not long enough to irritate or frustrate the user (400) of the aerosol delivery system. Thus, in such embodiments, the feedback portion (200) may be configured to provide the feedback (F) for a duration of 30 seconds or less (no more than); 25 seconds or less; 20 seconds or less; 15 seconds or less; 10 seconds or less; 8 seconds or less; and / or 5 seconds or less. Recognizably, also according to some specific embodiments, the feedback (F) may, according to a hybrid approach, i) any one of the above durations; and ii) until it is determined by the controller (18) of the aerosol delivery system (300) that a predetermined situation has occurred (e.g., when the user (400) operates the input button (20) to check the feedback (F)), the feedback (F) may be configured to be provided for the shorter of the two durations, 'd'. Such a latter hybrid duration 'd' may provide the feedback (F) better in a manner that is best perceived by the user (400), but not so long as to be considered to consume excessive power from the power supply (16) and / or annoy or frustrate the user (400).

[0067] No matter how long the period 'd' of the feedback (F) is, once the feedback (F) is provided, the user (400) may, in accordance with the disclosure of FIG. 8d, replace any aerosol providing device from the aerosol providing system in their bag (401) or pocket for later reuse as needed.

[0068] Recognizing the foregoing, it is expected that feedback (F) can be supplied for a required number of (different) modes of operation. And in this regard, it should also be recognized that the feedback (F) provided after each mode of operation may or may not necessarily be the same for each different mode of operation.

[0069] For any given mode of operation, feedback (F) according to some embodiments is expected to be configured to provide an indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol providing system (or aerosol providing device (4)).

[0070] As described, it is expected that these predetermined characteristics according to some embodiments may include physical parameters (e.g., in some specific embodiments, the rate of aerosol generation from the aerosol providing system while generating aerosol in the operating mode).

[0071] Likewise, according to some embodiments, predetermined properties may include chemical parameters (e.g., the composition of the aerosol-generating material that was evaporated to generate an aerosol in the operating mode).

[0072] Likewise, according to some additional / alternative embodiments, a predetermined characteristic may include an electrical parameter (e.g., the amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator (40) while generating an aerosol in an operating mode).

[0073] Now, regarding the form of any provided feedback from the feedback portion (200), it may take various different forms. For example, any provided feedback (F) may include at least one of visual feedback; acoustic feedback; and / or tactile feedback. In particular, for those with visual impairment, the use of acoustic or tactile feedback may be particularly advantageous.

[0074] To implement the above feedback (F), as required, according to some embodiments, the feedback portion (200) comprises any one or a combination of an optical feedback element or a visual feedback element (e.g., an LED, a light source, or a display); an acoustic element (e.g., a speaker); and / or a tactile feedback element (e.g., a vibrator). Such visual feedback may be particularly advantageous insofar as the aerosol delivery system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, and then the user removes any part of the aerosol delivery system (4) from their lips and then observes the feedback portion (200) (e.g., any optical feedback element or a visual feedback element therefrom) to conveniently observe the feedback provided by the feedback portion (200) (e.g., as illustrated in the embodiment related to FIG. 8c).

[0075] With the above in mind, recognizably, in some specific embodiments of those presented above, any such feedback portion (200) comprising any potential visual / acoustic / tactile feedback element(s) therefrom may be most conveniently located on the aerosol delivery device (4) (which, depending on some embodiments, may include a cartridge (2) / aerosol delivery device (4) type array). However, likewise, and according to some other potential embodiments, the feedback portion (200) may not be located on the aerosol delivery device (4) (i.e., differently, the aerosol delivery device (4) may not include the feedback portion (200)), and thus may instead be located elsewhere, for example, as part of an electric device (250) that may be operable to communicate with the aerosol delivery device (4). Thus, the electric device (250) may include the feedback portion (200) in this manner.

[0076] Regarding what such an electric device (250) may be, it may include any form of electric device (250) capable of operably communicating with the aerosol providing system (300) or the aerosol providing device (4), and may include any portable device such as a tablet computer, smartphone, portable computer, smart watch or smart device (e.g., electric wrist strap or ankle strap) that the user (400) of the aerosol providing system (4) may carry or wear (of course, is not limited thereto). As required, it will be understood that the electric device (250) may be operable to communicate with the aerosol providing device (4) wirelessly, for example, via a wireless connection protocol (270). Accordingly, in this case, recognizably, the electric device (250) may also appropriately include a wireless transmitter / receiver / transceiver (252) to facilitate any such wireless communication with the aerosol providing device (4) (this may also likewise include a wireless transmitter / receiver / transceiver (97) that communicates with the controller (18)).

[0077] With regard to the above potential forms of feedback (F), it is expected that, at a general level, the feedback (F) described herein may be configured to represent a number of different things. For example, as noted above, the feedback (F) may be configured according to some embodiments to provide a mark. In more specific embodiments, this mark may include the following:

[0078] i) indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol delivery system or aerosol delivery device (4);

[0079] ii) an indication that the aerosol providing system or device has experienced a defect, such as a defect including determining that the aerosol providing device (4) and / or any aerosol generator (40) therefrom has overheated, as in a very specific embodiment;

[0080] iii) an indication that the power supply (16) contains less than a predetermined amount of remaining power (e.g., less than 5% or 10% remaining in a very specific embodiment);

[0081] iv) According to embodiments in which an array of cartridges (2) / aerosol providing devices (44) is adopted, an indication including a suggestion to replace or recharge the cartridge (2);

[0082] v) an indication that the amount of aerosol-generating material in at least part of the aerosol delivery system (and / or especially in the case where such cartridge (2) is adopted, the cartridge (2)) is less than a predetermined amount.

[0083] Therefore, at a general level, it can be recognized that any provided indication can help the user (400) collect feedback on how the aerosol delivery system operated.

[0084] To better perform some of the aforementioned embodiments, the aerosol providing system (300) may include, in some embodiments, a controller such as the aforementioned control circuit (18). Thus, in such embodiments, the controller (18) may be configured to determine whether the aerosol providing system has completed aerosol generation in an operating mode. In response to the controller (18) determining that the aerosol providing system has completed aerosol generation in an operating mode, the controller (18) may then be configured to generate an output signal so that the feedback portion (200) provides feedback.

[0085] Although not necessarily so, any provided aerosol dispensing system (300) or device (4) according to some embodiments may also include a sensor (91) for generating sensor data. In this way, a controller (18) may be configured to receive sensor data from the sensor (91) and to use the sensor data to determine a indication for feedback (F). In response to the controller (18) determining a indication for feedback (F), the controller (18) may then be configured to generate an output signal to provide feedback (F) including an indication after the feedback portion (200) has generated aerosol in an operating mode.

[0086] As for what such a sensor (91) is, recognizably, it may vary depending on the indication intended to be provided as part of the feedback (F).

[0087] For example, according to some embodiments, the sensor (91) may include a temperature sensor (93), and the sensor data includes a temperature value representing a temperature such as the temperature of a part of the aerosol providing system (1) in some embodiments, such as the temperature of the aerosol generator (40) in some specific embodiments — according to the embodiment of FIG. 7.

[0088] Therefore, in such embodiments, the controller (18) may be configured to use sensor data to determine whether the temperature value has exceeded a predetermined temperature. In this way, in response to the controller (18) determining that the temperature value has exceeded a predetermined temperature, the controller (18) may be further configured to generate an output signal to provide feedback (F) including an indication after the feedback portion (200) has generated an aerosol in an operating mode. Recognizably, this indication may include an indication that, in some cases, the aerosol providing system or aerosol providing device has experienced a defect and / or overheating.

[0089] Another potential application of the feedback (F) is to provide an indication of the composition of the aerosol generating material evaporated to generate an aerosol in operating mode. This application may have the advantage that, otherwise, the user (400) may not be familiar with the composition (or flavor) of the evaporated aerosol generating material. Thus, in this way, the feedback (F) provided after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in operating mode may help the user (400) better understand which aerosol generating material has been evaporated. For these embodiments, in some cases, composition information may be provided directly to the controller (18), for example, as part of any connection of the cartridge (2) to the aerosol providing device (4), and in some embodiments, the composition may be determined using sensor data from a sensor (91; 99) configured to generate sensor data indicating the composition of the aerosol generating material from the aerosol providing system (300). According to some embodiments, these sensors (91; 99) may be configured to be in fluid communication with and / or in contact with an aerosol generating material from an aerosol supply system (300). Likewise, according to some specific embodiments, any provided cartridge (2) and / or reservoir (31) from the aerosol supply system may include any such provided sensors (91; 99) as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 7.

[0090] In another potential application of the feedback (F), feedback (F) may be required in response to the controller (18) determining that the amount of aerosol generating material in at least part of the aerosol delivery system (and / or cartridge (2) if cartridge (2) is adopted) is less than a predetermined amount, and thus including an indication that the remaining amount of aerosol generating material is low and / or that the cartridge (2) needs to be replaced and / or that the aerosol generating material needs to be refilled. Therefore, for these embodiments, the aerosol delivery system (300) may be configured such that sensor data from the sensor (91) indicates the amount of aerosol generating material in at least part of the aerosol delivery system (or, according to some narrower embodiments, cartridge (2)). Thus, in this way, the controller (18) may be configured to use the sensor data to determine whether the amount of aerosol generating material is less than a predetermined amount. In this way, in response to a determination that the amount of aerosol generating material is less than a predetermined amount, the controller (18) may then be configured to generate an output signal to provide feedback (F) including an indication after the feedback portion (200) has generated aerosol in the operating mode. Thus, as a result of this feedback (F), once the user (400) has completed the operation of the aerosol generating system in the operating mode, the user (400) may perceive feedback to know that the remaining amount of aerosol generating material is low.

[0091] Therefore, while understanding the foregoing, an aerosol delivery system for generating aerosols is described, and the aerosol delivery system is,

[0092] It includes a feedback section for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol dispensing system, wherein the feedback section is configured to provide feedback after the aerosol dispensing system generates aerosol in operating mode, and is additionally configured not to provide feedback while the aerosol dispensing system generates aerosol in operating mode.

[0093] A method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol delivery system for generating aerosols is also described, and this method is,

[0094] A step of providing feedback to a user of the aerosol providing system using a feedback portion at a time other than while the aerosol providing system is generating aerosol in the operating mode, after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in the operating mode.

[0095] An aerosol providing system (300) for generating an aerosol is also described, and the system (300) includes a feedback portion (200) for providing feedback (F) to a user (400) of the aerosol providing system (300). The feedback portion (200) is configured to provide feedback (F) after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, and is further configured not to provide feedback (F) while the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode. In this way, the feedback (F) can be delivered at an appropriate time after the user (400) has completed the operation of the aerosol providing system (300), and, for example, when the aerosol providing device from the aerosol providing system (300) is not in the user's mouth, the user (400) can more easily and readily see the feedback (F).

[0096] To address various problems and advance the art, the present disclosure illustrates various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative samples of the embodiments and are not limited thereto and / or exclusive. These advantages and features are presented only to aid in understanding and teaching the claimed invention(s). The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be considered as limitations to the present disclosure as defined by the claims, or as limitations to equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications made without departing from the scope of the claims. It will be understood that various embodiments may appropriately include, be composed of, or constitute essentially of various combinations of elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., that are different from those specifically described herein, and thus the features of dependent claims may be combined with the features of independent claims in combinations other than those explicitly described in the claims. The present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

[0097] For example, regarding how power can be supplied to any provided feedback part(s) (200) (if any exist), it will be recognized that each feedback part (200) is powered using a power supply (16) or is powered by its own power source (not shown in the drawings).

[0098] Likewise, regarding the positioning of any such feedback part(s) (200) and / or sensor(s) (91), it will be understood that their positions may be provided anywhere within the aerosol delivery system (300) as required to enable the required function to be provided. This may include a location where the feedback part (200) and / or sensor(s) (91) are not actually located on an aerosol delivery device (4) that can be attached to the user (400), such as a strap or some other patch or a device that can be fixed to the user (400) (e.g., on a separate electric device (250)).

[0099] Likewise, if the aerosol delivery system includes a cartridge (2) and an aerosol delivery device (4), any provided feedback part(s) (200) and / or sensor(s) (91) may be located in the cartridge (2) or the aerosol delivery device (4) as needed to allow the required function of the feedback part (200) or the sensor(s) (91).

[0100] Additionally, for the sake of completeness, it will be understood that any power or signals transmitted thereto may be provided using a wired or wireless connection between the control circuit (18) and the individual feedback part (200) / sensor (91) in relation to any feedback part(s) (200) or sensor(s) (91) in the aerosol providing device or system. In the specific embodiments illustrated in FIG. 7, for example, a wired connection is provided between the corresponding feedback part (200) and / or sensor (91) and the control circuit (18), and is extended through contact electrodes (46) located in each of the aerosol providing device (4) and cartridge (2), when the component is located in the cartridge (2) across the interface end (54).

[0101] Finally, it will also be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to a specific number of operating modes, and accordingly, the teaching may recognizably correspond to any integer of operating modes (e.g., a number from 1 to 100). In this way, the feedback portion (200) is configured to provide (n-th) feedback after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in the (n-th) operating mode, and is further configured not to provide (n-th) feedback while the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in the (n-th) operating mode.

[0102] In cases where multiple operating modes are adopted, according to some embodiments thereof, it will be recognized that feedback (F) for each operating mode does not necessarily need to be provided simultaneously and / or for the same duration after the aerosol providing system has generated the aerosol in the operating mode.

[0103] Accordingly, for example, in some very specific embodiments, one mode of operation may have feedback (F) provided after 1 second (no earlier than) after the aerosol providing system has completed aerosol generation in the mode of operation and for a duration of 5 seconds or less (no more than). Meanwhile, another mode of operation in such embodiments and potentially other embodiments may have feedback (F) provided after 0.5 seconds after the aerosol providing system has completed aerosol generation in the mode of operation and for a duration of 10 seconds or less (e.g., where the feedback (F) regarding this latter mode of operation is considered more important to the user (400) to see compared to the feedback (F) regarding the initial mode of operation).

[0104] It will also be recognized that when multiple operation modes are adopted, the feedback levels corresponding to each operation mode may differ. Thus, in other words, according to some embodiments, the feedback (F) for the first operation mode may include a feedback (F) level greater than the feedback level corresponding to other operation modes. By the 'level' of the feedback (F), it may include the amount of feedback (e.g., brightness of the feedback in the case of visual feedback, magnitude of the feedback in the case of acoustic feedback), the magnitude of the feedback (e.g., brightness of the feedback in the case of visual feedback, intensity of the feedback (F) in the case of tactile feedback), or even the importance of the feedback (e.g., brightness of the feedback in the case of visual feedback, intensity of the feedback (F) in the case of tactile feedback, or magnitude of the feedback in the case of acoustic feedback). Recognizably, when such levels are adopted, it may also include an average level or a maximum level, according to some narrow embodiments.

Claims

Claim 1 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein the aerosol providing system comprises a feedback portion for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol providing system, wherein the feedback portion is configured to provide feedback after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in an operating mode, and further configured not to provide feedback while the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in the operating mode, and wherein the feedback includes an indication of whether the aerosol providing system has been determined to be overheated. Claim 2 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein the feedback portion is configured to provide feedback within 5 seconds at the latest after the aerosol providing system has completed aerosol generation in the operating mode. Claim 3 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein the feedback portion is configured to output the feedback for a duration of at least 5 seconds. Claim 4 In claim 1, the aerosol providing system comprises a display, and the feedback portion comprises the display, an aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol. Claim 5 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein the feedback comprises visual feedback in accordance with claim 1. Claim 6 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein the feedback comprises haptic feedback in the first aspect. Claim 7 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein the feedback comprises acoustic feedback in the first aspect. Claim 8 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein, in claim 1, the feedback is configured to provide an indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol providing system. Claim 9 In claim 8, the aerosol providing system for generating aerosol, wherein the predetermined characteristic includes an aerosol generation rate from the aerosol providing system while generating an aerosol in the operating mode. Claim 10 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein, in claim 8 or 9, the aerosol providing system comprises an aerosol generator for generating the aerosol, and the predetermined characteristic comprises an amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator while generating the aerosol in the operating mode. Claim 11 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein, in claim 1, the aerosol providing system comprises a power supply device, and the feedback comprises an indication that the power supply device contains a residual power amount less than a predetermined amount. Claim 12 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor and a controller for generating sensor data, wherein the controller receives the sensor data from the sensor; determines a mark for the feedback using the sensor data; and is configured to generate an output signal such that the feedback portion can provide feedback including the mark after the aerosol providing system generates an aerosol in the operating mode. Claim 13 In claim 1, the aerosol providing system comprises an aerosol providing device for generating the aerosol, and the aerosol providing device comprises the feedback portion, an aerosol providing system for generating the aerosol. Claim 14 In claim 1, the aerosol providing system comprises an aerosol providing device for generating the aerosol, and further comprises an electric device operable to communicate with the aerosol providing device, wherein the electric device comprises the feedback portion. Claim 15 In claim 1, the aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol further comprises a cartridge and an aerosol providing device configured to receive said cartridge. Claim 16 An aerosol providing system for generating an aerosol, wherein, in claim 15, the system further comprises a sensor and a controller for generating sensor data, wherein the sensor data represents an amount of aerosol generating material in at least a portion of the cartridge; the controller determines, using the sensor data, whether the amount of the aerosol generating material is less than a predetermined amount; and, in response to the determination that the amount of the aerosol generating material is less than a predetermined amount, the system is configured to generate an output signal such that the feedback portion can provide feedback including a corresponding indication after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in the operating mode. Claim 17 A method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol providing system for generating aerosol, comprising the step of providing feedback to the user of the aerosol providing system using a feedback portion after the aerosol providing system generates aerosol in an operating mode, wherein the feedback is not provided while the aerosol providing system generates aerosol in the operating mode, and wherein the feedback includes an indication of whether the aerosol providing system has been determined to be overheated. Claim 18 A method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol providing system for generating aerosol, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: removing a part of the aerosol providing system from the user's mouth after the aerosol providing system has generated an aerosol in an operating mode; and providing feedback to the user after the part of the aerosol providing system has been removed from the user's mouth. Claim 19 delete Claim 20 delete Claim 21 delete Claim 22 delete Claim 23 delete Claim 24 delete Claim 25 delete Claim 26 delete Claim 27 delete Claim 28 delete

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