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BR-112021006890-B1 - Aerosol delivery device with improved connectivity, airflow, and aerosol paths.

BR112021006890B1BR 112021006890 B1BR112021006890 B1BR 112021006890B1BR-112021006890-B1

Abstract

AEROSOL DELIVERY DEVICE WITH IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY, AIRFLOW, AND AEROSOL PATHWAYS. This disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. In various implementations, the aerosol delivery device comprises a control device that includes an external housing defining a cartridge receiving chamber and further includes a power source and a control component, and a cartridge that includes a nozzle, a tank, a heating assembly, and a bottom cap. The nozzle defines an outlet port at one end thereof, and the tank is configured to contain a liquid composition therein. The cartridge is configured to be removablely coupled to the receiving chamber of the control device, and the heating assembly defines a vaporization chamber and is configured to heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol. An inlet airflow is defined by a gap between the cartridge and the control device that originates at an interface between an external peripheral surface, the nozzle, and the control device.

Inventors

  • CHARLES JACOB NOVAK III
  • SEAN A. DAUGHERTY
  • JARED ALLER
  • MICHAEL RYAN GALLOWAY
  • Justin Holt
  • MATTHEW JOEL NETTENSTROM
  • STEVEN MICHAEL SCHENNUM

Assignees

  • RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20191011
Priority Date
20191010

Claims (20)

  1. 1. Aerosol delivery device (100) comprising: a control device (200, 400, 600, 800) comprising an outer housing (202, 402, 602, 802) defining an outer wall (204, 404, 604, 804) and having a proximal end (217, 417, 617, 817) and a distal end (219, 419, 619, 819), the proximal end (217, 417, 617, 817) of the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) defining a receiving chamber (230, 430, 630, 830), the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) including a power source and a control component (214, 414, 614, 814); a cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) comprising a nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902), a tank (310, 510, 710, 910), a heating assembly (334, 534, 734, 934), and a bottom cover (326, 526, 726, 926), the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) having a proximal end (217, 417, 617, 817) and a distal end (219, 419, 619, 819), the proximal end (217, 417, 617, 817) of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) having a port of outlet (315, 515, 715, 915) defined through the same, the tank (310, 510, 710, 910) defining a proximal end (217, 417, 617, 817) and a distal end (219, 419, 619, 819) and being configured to contain a liquid composition, the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) being configured to engage the proximal end (217, 417, 617, 817) of the tank (310, 510, 710, 910), and the bottom cap (326, 526, 726, 926) being configured to engage the distal end (219, 419, 619, 819) of the tank (310, 510, 710, 910), wherein the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) is configured to be removablely coupled to the receiving chamber (230, 430, 630, 830) of the control device (200, 400, 600, 800), wherein the heating assembly (334, 534, 734, 934) defines a vaporization chamber (332, 532, 732, 932) and is configured to heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol, wherein an inlet airflow is defined by a gap between the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800), wherein an aerosol path is defined through the tank. (310, 510, 710, 910) and the outlet port (315, 515, 715, 915) of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902), and wherein the gap originates at an interface between an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800), wherein the gap between the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) is established by a plurality of protrusions located on the control device (200, 400, 600, 800), wherein each of the pluralities of protrusions comprises elongated raised projections (260) located in an upper frame (206, 406, 606, 806) of the control device (200, 400, 600, 800), and CHARACTERIZED in that the plurality of elongated raised protrusions (260, 860) are aligned with a common longitudinal axis of the control device (200, 400, 600, 800).
  2. 2. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the interface between an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) is located close to an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) and a top edge of the outer wall of the housing (202, 402, 602, 802).
  3. 3. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the incoming airflow enters the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) through a single inlet channel (330, 530, 730, 930) located in the center of a bottom surface of the bottom cover (326, 526, 726, 926).
  4. 4. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the gap between the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) is established between the outer housing (202, 402, 602, 802) and the upper frame (206, 406, 606, 806) of the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) and the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902), tank (310, 510, 710, 910), and bottom cap (326, 526, 726, 926) of the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900).
  5. 5. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED in that the gap between the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) is further established between a recessed surface (244, 844) of the upper frame (206, 406, 606, 806) of the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) and a bottom surface of the bottom cover (326, 526, 726, 926) of the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900).
  6. 6. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the tank (310, 510, 710, 910) further defines a reservoir cavity (328, 528, 728, 928) configured to contain the liquid composition.
  7. 7. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 6, CHARACTERIZED in that the aerosol path is defined by a pair of flow tubes located in the tank (310, 510, 710, 910), and in which at least one portion of the flow tubes is located on opposite sides of the reservoir cavity (328, 528, 728, 928).
  8. 8. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) includes a pressure sensor (240, 440, 640, 840), and in that the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) and the control device (200, 400, 600, 800) include a pressure path configured to signal a negative pressure to the pressure sensor (240, 440, 640, 840).
  9. 9. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 2, CHARACTERIZED in that the top edge of the outer wall of the housing (202, 402, 602, 802) defines an opening that is larger in size than the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902), so that a maximum perimeter of the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) is fully received within the receiving chamber (230, 430, 630, 830).
  10. 10. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 2, CHARACTERIZED in that when coupled to the control device (200, 400, 600, 800), a portion of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902) extends below the top edge of the outer wall (204, 404, 604) of the housing (202, 402, 602, 802) and into the receiving chamber (230, 430, 630, 830).
  11. 11. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the inlet channel (330, 530, 730, 930) located in the bottom cover (326, 526, 726, 926) has a nozzle-type shape (302, 502, 702, 902).
  12. 12. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the heating assembly (334) comprises a flat heating member (318, 518, 718, 918) and a liquid transport element (316, 516, 716, 916), and wherein the flat heating member (318, 518, 718, 918) and the liquid transport element (316, 516, 716, 916) are installed in a curved orientation.
  13. 13. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the cartridge (300, 500, 700, 900) further defines a vaporization chamber (332, 532, 732, 932) defined by the bottom cover (326, 526, 726, 926) and heating assembly (334, 534, 734, 934).
  14. 14. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 13, CHARACTERIZED in that the aerosol path originates in the vaporization chamber (332, 532, 732, 932).
  15. 15. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 13, CHARACTERIZED in that the inlet air entering the vaporization chamber (332, 532, 732, 932) collides with the heating member (318, 518, 718, 918) perpendicularly to it and spreads horizontally.
  16. 16. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 6, CHARACTERIZED in that the reservoir cavity (328, 528, 728, 928) defines a closed proximal end and an open distal end (219, 419, 619, 819).
  17. 17. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED in that the open distal end (219, 419, 619, 819) of the reservoir cavity (328, 528, 728, 928) is sealed at least in part by a separate base member (314, 514, 714, 914).
  18. 18. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 17, CHARACTERIZED in that the base member (314, 514, 714, 914) includes a plurality of slots (335, 735, 935) configured to provide liquid flow passages.
  19. 19. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the aerosol path is further defined by means of an upper aerosol channel insert (306, 506, 706, 906) located between the tank (310, 510, 710, 910) and the outlet port (315, 515, 715, 915) of the nozzle (302, 502, 702, 902).
  20. 20. Aerosol delivery device, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the bottom cover (326, 526, 726, 926) includes a pair of inserts (324A, 324B, 524A, 524B, 724A, 724B, 924A, 924B) comprising a ferromagnetic metallic material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE FOR RELATED ORDERS [001] This application claims priority to, and benefit of, U.S. Patent Application No. 16/598,496, entitled "Delivery Device with Improved Connectivity, Airflow, and Aerosol Paths," filed October 10, 2019, and U.S. Patent Application No. 16/598,575, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Improved Connectivity, Airflow, and Aerosol Paths," filed October 10, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/744,978, entitled "Aerosol Forming Device," filed October 12, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/911,519, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Improved Connectivity, Airflow, and Aerosol Paths," filed October 7, 2019, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. total by reference. FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY [002] This disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, such as smoking articles and, more particularly, to aerosol delivery devices that can utilize electrically generated heat for aerosol production (for example, smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). The smoking articles may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which may incorporate materials that may be made from or derived from tobacco or otherwise incorporate tobacco, the precursor being capable of forming an inhalable substance for human consumption. FUNDAMENTALS [003] Many smoking devices have been proposed over the years as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require the combustion of tobacco for use. Many of these devices were supposedly designed to provide the sensations associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but without providing considerable amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from burning tobacco. To this end, various smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that use electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt to provide the sensations of smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without burning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the various smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and alternative heat generation sources disclosed in the prior art described in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. See also, for example, the various types of electrically powered smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat generation sources referenced by brand name and trade source in U.S. Patent Serial No. 14/170,838 to Bless et al., filed February 3, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It would be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device with advantageous usability features. BRIEF SUMMARY [004] This disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. The disclosure relates particularly to an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for use in an aerosol delivery device. In this respect, various embodiments of the disclosure provide an aerosol delivery device and/or a cartridge with advantageous usability features. This disclosure includes, without limitation, the following example implementations: [005] Example Implementation 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising a control device including an outer housing defining an outer wall and having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the control device defining a receiving chamber, the control device further including a power source and a control component, and a cartridge comprising a nozzle, a tank, a heating assembly, and a bottom cap, the nozzle having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the nozzle having an outlet port defined therethrough, the tank defining a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to contain a liquid composition, the nozzle being configured to engage the proximal end of the tank, and the bottom cap being configured to engage the distal end of the tank, wherein the cartridge is configured to be removablely coupled to the receiving chamber of the control device, wherein the heating assembly defines a vaporization chamber and is configured to heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol, wherein an inlet airflow is defined by a A gap between the cartridge and the control device, where an aerosol path is defined through the tank and the nozzle outlet port, and where the gap originates at an interface between an external peripheral surface of the nozzle and the control device. [006] Example Implementation 2: The aerosol delivery device of any previous example implementation, or any combination of any previous example implementation, wherein the interface is located near an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle and a top edge of the outer wall of the housing. [007] Example Implementation 3