US-20260123672-A1 - AEROSOL DELIVERY SUBSYSTEM

Abstract

An aerosol delivery subsystem comprising a puff sensor at one end, configured to detect air flow through an air inlet in use; and an elongate power supply extending away from the puff sensor and having electrodes at a distal end, away from the puff sensor, for connection to the puff sensor.

Inventors

• Ruifan LI
• Dean Cowan
• Xiaofeng Xu
• Hongqiang Liu

Assignees

• Nicoventures Trading Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20231016

Priority Date

20221019

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An aerosol delivery subsystem comprising: a. a puff sensor at one end, configured to detect air flow through an air inlet in use; and b. an elongate power supply extending away from the puff sensor and having electrodes at a distal end, away from the puff sensor, for connection to the puff sensor.
2. 2 . The subsystem of claim 1 , further comprising wiring for connecting the puff sensor to the distal end electrodes of the power supply, wherein the wiring has excess length such that, when connected, the puff sensor is axially separable from the power supply, to aid assembly.
3. 3 . The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the power supply has a length extending away from the puff sensor of 25-35 mm, 35-45 mm, or 45-55 mm.
4. 4 . The subsystem of claim 2 , wherein the wiring has an excess length of 20-30 mm, 30-40 mm or 40-50 mm.
5. 5 . The subsystem of claim wherein the wiring has a length of 60-70 mm, 70-80 mm, 80-90 mm, 90-100 mm, 100-110 mm or 110-120 mm.
6. 6 . The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is located at the end of the subsystem and the puff sensor is located in an air flow pathway from the air inlet into the subsystem.
7. 7 . The subsystem of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting bracket for the power supply, the bracket presenting electrodes for connection at an end of the bracket.
8. 8 . The subsystem of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle across the air inlet, for adjusting air flow through the air inlet.
9. 9 . The subsystem of claim 8 , wherein the baffle is slidable to adjust the air flow through the air inlet.
10. 10 . The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is located at a proximal end of the subsystem, the subsystem further comprising an aerosol generator at a distal end of the subsystem, away from the puff sensor.
11. 11 . The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the puff sensor, power supply and aerosol generator are substantially axially aligned in the following order: puff sensor-power supply-aerosol generator.
12. 12 . The subsystem of claim 1 , comprising a cartridge or reservoir housing aerosol-generating material.
13. 13 . The subsystem of claim 12 , wherein the puff sensor, power supply, aerosol generator and cartridge or reservoir are substantially axially aligned in the following order: puff sensor-power supply-aerosol generator-cartridge or reservoir.
14. 14 . The subsystem of claim 12 , comprising liquid stored freely in the cartridge or reservoir.
15. 15 . The subsystem of claim 1 , comprising: a. a mounting bracket for the power supply; b. an end cap comprising the puff sensor and the air inlet; and c. a shell configured to receive the end cap, the mounting bracket and the power supply.
16. 16 . The subsystem of claim 15 , wherein the shell provides a space for receiving the wiring between the end cap and the power supply.
17. 17 . An aerosol delivery system comprising the subsystem of claim 1 .
18. 18 . The aerosol delivery system of claim 17 , comprising a mounting bracket for the power supply, the bracket providing an air flow path around the power supply.
19. 19 . The aerosol delivery system of claim 17 , comprising a mouthpiece, wherein the puff sensor is located substantially at a proximal end of the system, away from the mouthpiece which is located at an opposite, distal end of the system.
20. 20 . A method of assembling an aerosol delivery subsystem, the subsystem comprising: a puff sensor configured to detect air flow through an air inlet in use; an elongate power supply extending away from the puff sensor in use and having electrodes at a distal end, away from the puff sensor; a mounting bracket for the power supply, the bracket presenting electrodes for connection at an end of the bracket; and wiring for connecting the puff sensor to the electrodes, the wiring passing along a length of the power supply body in use and having excess length to aid assembly, the method comprising: mounting the power supply in the bracket; wiring the puff sensor to the electrodes; mounting the puff sensor in an end cap comprising the air inlet; locating the bracket and power supply in an outer shell; and securing the end cap onto the shell to form a proximal end of the system, the shell providing a space between the end cap and the power supply, accommodating the excess length of wiring.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This present application is a National Stage entry of PCT Application No. PCT/GB2023/052682, filed Oct. 16, 2023, which claims priority from Great Britian Application No. 2307360.4, filed May 17, 2023, and claims priority from Great Britian Application No. 2307362.0, filed May 17, 2023, and claims priority from Chinese Application No. 2023100929534, filed Feb. 3, 2023, and claims priority from Chinese Application No. 2022112814306, filed Oct. 19, 2022, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. FIELD The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems such as, but not exclusively, nicotine delivery systems including e-cigarettes, tobacco heated products (THPs) and hybrid systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates in part to a component mounting bracket for an aerosol delivery subsystem. 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/condensation aerosol drawn through the device passes through the portion of tobacco before exiting the mouthpiece for user inhalation. It is of interest to develop approaches enabling an aerosol delivery system to be assembled, repaired and/or recycled more readily, to increase production efficiency, improve sustainability and reduce wastage. Various approaches are described herein which seek to help address or mitigate at least some of these issues. 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 aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials; andaerosol-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 p