EP-4734783-A1 - AEROSOL DELIVERY CONTROLLERS, SYSTEMS, METHODS AND STORAGE DEVICES

Abstract

A controller for managing leakage of liquid aerosol-generating material from a cartridge or aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol generator, the controller configured to monitor and/or estimate a saturation level of the aerosol generator with liquid aerosol-generating material; and responsive to the monitored and/or estimated saturation level, activate the aerosol generator temporarily, to accelerate evaporation of aerosol-generating material in the aerosol generator and reduce the saturation level.

Inventors

• LIN, SHENGYANG

Assignees

• Nicoventures Trading Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240620

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A controller for managing leakage of liquid aerosol-generating material from a cartridge or aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol generator, the controller configured to: a. monitor and/or estimate a saturation level of the aerosol generator with liquid aerosolgenerating material; and b. responsive to the monitored and/or estimated saturation level, activate the aerosol generator temporarily, to accelerate evaporation of aerosol-generating material in the aerosol generator and reduce the saturation level.
2. 2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generator temporarily when the monitored and/or estimated saturation level exceeds a threshold.
3. 3. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generator periodically.
4. 4. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to monitor and/or estimate the saturation level of the aerosol generator periodically.
5. 5. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to monitor and/or estimate the saturation level of the aerosol generator based on a time since last activation of the aerosol generator.
6. 6. The controller of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generator periodically following the last activation of the aerosol generator.
7. 7. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to monitor and/or estimate the saturation level of the aerosol generator based on one or more of: a. a mass of the aerosol generator; and/or b. a temperature of the aerosol generator; and/or c. a resistance of the aerosol generator; and/or d. humidity in or proximal to the aerosol generator; and/or e. detecting leakage of aerosol-generating material.
8. 8. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to monitor and/or estimate the saturation level of the aerosol generator dependent on: a. one or more parameters of the aerosol generator; and/or b. one or more parameters of the aerosol-generating material; and/or c. one or more environmental parameters.
9. 9. The controller of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to identify the one or more parameters of the aerosol generator and/or the one or more parameters of the aerosol-generating material and/or the one or more environmental parameters.
10. 10. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to receive data from a sensor indicating: a. the saturation level of the aerosol generator; and/or b. a temperature of the aerosol generator; and/or c. an environmental parameter; and/or d. leakage of aerosol-generating material; and/or e. one or more parameters of the aerosol generator and/or one or more parameters of the aerosol-generating material.
11. 11 . The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to, responsive to the monitored and/or estimated saturation level: a. activate the aerosol generator to reach a temperature of substantially between 100- 225°C, 125-200°C, 150-175°C or substantially 200°C; and/or b. activate the aerosol generator for substantially 1 -5 seconds, 1 -4 seconds, 1 -3 seconds, 1-2 seconds or 1 second; and/or c. activate the aerosol generator until the monitored and/or estimated saturation level falls below a threshold.
12. 12. The controller of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to monitor and/or estimate substantial depletion of the aerosol-generating material and indicate substantial depletion of the aerosol-generating material to a user.
13. 13. A cartridge or aerosol delivery system comprising: a. a reservoir of liquid aerosol-generating material; b. an aerosol generator; and c. the controller of any preceding claim.
14. 14. An aerosol delivery system configured to receive a cartridge comprising a reservoir of liquid aerosol-generating material, wherein: a. the system or cartridge comprises an aerosol generator; and b. the system or cartridge comprises the controller of any of claims 1-12.
15. 15. A storage device configured to receive one or more cartridge(s) or aerosol delivery system(s) comprising a reservoir of liquid aerosol-generating material and an aerosol generator, wherein the storage device, the cartridge(s) and/or the aerosol delivery system(s) comprise the controller of any of claims 1-12.
16. 16. The storage device of claim 15, further comprising: a. a securement mechanism for releasably securing the cartridge(s) or aerosol delivery system(s) thereto; and/or b. an absorbent and/or adsorbent material for absorbing and/or adsorbing aerosolgenerating material and/or odours released from the cartridge(s) or aerosol delivery system(s); and/or c. a power supply for supplying power to the aerosol generator(s) in the cartridge(s) or aerosol delivery system(s).
17. 17. The storage device of claim 15, comprising a power supply for supplying power to the aerosol generator(s) in the cartridge(s) or aerosol delivery system(s), wherein the controller is configured to monitor and/or estimate the saturation level of the aerosol generator based on a time since last activation of the aerosol generator.
18. 18. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generator periodically following the last activation of the aerosol generator.
19. 19. The storage device of any of claims 15-18, configured to receive multiple cartridge(s) and/or aerosol delivery system(s), each comprising a reservoir of liquid aerosol-generating material and an aerosol generator.
20. 20. The storage device of any of claims 16-19, wherein: a. the securement mechanism comprises one or more magnetic or ferromagnetic materials; and/or b. the adsorbent material comprises activated carbon; and/or c. the absorbent and/or adsorbent material is configured to be heated by a heater; and/or d. the absorbent and/or adsorbent material is replaceable.

Description

AEROSOL DELIVERY CONTROLLERS, SYSTEMS, METHODS AND STORAGE DEVICES Field The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems such as, but not exclusively, nicotine delivery systems (e.g. e-cigarettes). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to controllers for aerosol delivery systems and cartridges, methods for controlling such systems and cartridges, and storage devices for aerosol delivery systems and/or cartridges. Background Aerosol delivery systems such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) generally contain an aerosol generating material, such as a chamber of a source solid or liquid, which may contain an active substance and / or a flavour, from which an aerosol or vapour is generated for inhalation by a user, for example through heat vaporisation. Thus, an aerosol delivery system will typically comprise an aerosol generation area containing an aerosol generator, e.g. a heating element, arranged to vaporise or aerosolise a portion of precursor material to generate a vapour or aerosol in the aerosol generation area. As a user inhales on the device and electrical power is supplied to the vaporiser, air is drawn into the device through an inlet hole and along an inlet air channel connecting to the aerosol generation area, where the air mixes with vaporised precursor material to form a condensation aerosol. There is an outlet channel connecting the aerosol generation area to an outlet in the mouthpiece and the air drawn into the aerosol generation area as a user inhales on the mouthpiece continues along the outlet flow path to the mouthpiece outlet, carrying the aerosol with it, for inhalation by the user. Some electronic cigarettes may also include a flavour element in the air flow path through the device to impart additional flavours. Such devices may sometimes be referred to as hybrid devices, and the flavour element may, for example, include a portion of tobacco arranged in the air flow path between the aerosol generation area and the mouthpiece such that aerosol I condensation aerosol drawn through the device passes through the portion of tobacco before exiting the mouthpiece for user inhalation. Leakage of aerosol generating material from aerosol delivery systems (or cartridges for such aerosol delivery systems) remains a long-standing issue. Various designs have attempted to solve the problem, but it remains an issue. Various approaches are described herein which seek to help address or mitigate leakage of aerosol generating material. Terminology Delivery System As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user in use, and includes: combustible aerosol provision systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own or for make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material); non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosolgenerating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosolgenerating materials; and aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver the at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine. Combustible Aerosol Provision System According to the present disclosure, a “combustible” aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is combusted or burned during use in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user. In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a component for use in a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a filter, a filter rod, a filter segment, a tobacco rod, a spill, an aerosol-modifying agent release component such as a capsule, a thread, or a bead, or a paper such as a plug wrap, a tipping paper or a cigarette paper. Non-Combustible Aerosol Provision System According to the present disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user. In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system. In so