RU2842909C2 - Aerosol delivery device with sliding sleeve - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: smoking accessories.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to an aerosol delivery device. Aerosol delivery device comprises: a removable cartridge defining a first end and a distal end, wherein the cartridge comprises a heating portion and a substrate portion, wherein the substrate portion comprises a substrate material comprising an aerosol precursor composition; and a holder comprising a main body and a sleeve, wherein the main body forms a receiving portion and an aerosol passage extending from the receiving portion through the main body and through its first end, and the bushing is located around at least part of the main body and forms a first end and a distal end, wherein the receiving part of the main body is configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge near its first end, wherein the bushing comprises a solid wall of the bushing, and wherein the bushing is made with possibility of sliding relative to the main body into an open position and from it, in which the far end of the bushing is located near the receiving part of the main body, and into and out of use position, in which the far end of the sleeve is located near the far end of the cartridge.

EFFECT: aerosol delivery device with a sliding sleeve is disclosed.

11 cl, 6 dwg

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and the right to benefit from U.S. Patent Application No. 16/516,601, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device with Sliding Sleeve , filed July 19, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices and systems, such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices and systems that utilize heat sources, such as combustible, flammable carbon-based sources, to generate an aerosol (e.g., smoking articles for the purpose of producing tobacco components, tobacco extracts, nicotine, synthetic nicotine, nicotine-free flavoring, and other materials in an inhalable form, commonly referred to as heated-but-not-burned systems or electronic cigarettes). The components of such articles may be made of or derived from tobacco, or may otherwise be characterized as including tobacco for human consumption and capable of vaporizing tobacco components and/or other tobacco-related materials to form an inhalable aerosol for human consumption.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Over the years, a variety of smoking articles have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products based on the combustion of tobacco. Typical alternatives include devices in which a solid or liquid fuel is burned to transfer heat to the tobacco or in which a chemical reaction is used to provide such a heat source. Examples include the smoking articles described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Improvements or alternatives to smoking articles have generally been intended to provide the sensations associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but without delivering significant amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. To this end, a variety of smoking articles, aroma 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 substantially burning the tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat generating sources disclosed in the prior art, as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. and No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically driven heat generating sources referenced by trademark and trade information in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0220232 to Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically driven heat generating sources are referenced by trademark and trade information in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0245659 to DePiano et al., which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other representative cigarettes or smoking articles that have been described and, in some cases, made commercially available include those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Patent Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 to Counts et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; US Patent No. 6,164,287 by White; US Patent No. 6,196,218 by Voges; US Patent No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al.; US Patent No. 6,854,461 by Nichols; US Patent No. 7,832,410 by Hon. US Patent No. 7,513,253 by Kobayashi; US Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al.; US Patent No. 7,896,006 by Hamano; US Patent No. 6,772,756 by Shayan; US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0095311 by Hon; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006/0196518, 2009/0126745, and 2009/0188490 to Hon; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0272379 to Thorens et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0260641 and 2009/0260642 to Monsees et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008/0149118 and 2010/0024834 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0307518 to Wang; and WO 2010/091593 to Hon, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Various methods and techniques have been proposed for assembling smoking articles that have a plurality of sequentially arranged segmented components. See, for example, the various types of assembly techniques and methodologies set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,469,871 to Banerjee et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Crooks et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2010/0186757 to Crooks et al.; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0042885 to Stone et al.; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/00673620 to Conner et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Several types of cigarettes that use carbonaceous fuel cells are available under the trade names "Premier," "Eclipse," and "Revo" from R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. See, for example, the types of cigarettes described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco by R. J. Reynolds (1988) and Inhalation Toxicology, 12:5, p. 1-58 (2000). Additionally, a similar type of cigarette was available in Japan from Japan Tobacco Inc. under the trade name "Steam Hot One."

In some cases, some smoking articles, particularly those using traditional paper wrappers, are also susceptible to burning of the paper wrapper covering the combustible fuel source due to the high temperatures reached by the fuel source near the paper wrapper. This may reduce the enjoyment of the smoking session for some consumers and may mask or undesirably alter the tastes delivered to the consumer by the aerosol delivery components of the smoking articles. In still other cases, traditional types of smoking articles may produce relatively significant levels of gases such as carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide during use (e.g., as products of carbon combustion). In still other cases, traditional types of smoking articles may have poor performance in aerosolizing the aerosol-forming component(s).

It is therefore preferable to provide smoking articles that solve one or more technical problems sometimes associated with traditional types of smoking articles. In particular, it is preferable to provide a smoking article that is easy to use and that provides reusable and/or replaceable components.

DISCLOSURE OF THE ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and holders for use with removable and replaceable cartridges. The present disclosure includes, without limitation, the following exemplary embodiments.

An exemplary embodiment 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising a removable cartridge defining a first end and a distal end, wherein the cartridge comprises a heating portion including a heat source configured to generate heat, and a substrate portion located near the heat source, wherein the substrate portion comprises a substrate material including an aerosol precursor composition; and a holder comprising a main body and a sleeve, wherein the main body forms a receiving portion and a passage for the aerosol extending from the receiving portion through the main body and through its first end, and the sleeve is located around at least a part of the main body and forms a first end and a distal end, wherein the receiving portion of the main body is configured to receive at least a part of the cartridge near its first end, wherein the sleeve comprises a substantially solid wall of the sleeve, and wherein the sleeve is configured to slide relative to the main body into and out of an open position, in which the distal end of the sleeve is located near the receiving portion of the main body, and into and out of a use position, in which the distal end of the sleeve is located near the distal end of the cartridge.

Exemplary Embodiment 2: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder has a substantially elongated overall shape.

Exemplary Embodiment 3: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the cartridge has a substantially cylindrical overall shape.

Exemplary embodiment 4: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receiving portion of the holder comprises a separate portion from the main body.

Exemplary embodiment 5: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, further comprising a substantially hollow aerosol tube configured to be fluidly connected to the aerosol passage of the main body and extending beyond the first end thereof.

Exemplary embodiment 6: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, further comprising a mouthpiece fluidly connected to the aerosol passageway.

Exemplary embodiment 7: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the mouthpiece is removable and replaceable.

Exemplary embodiment 8: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receptacle is configured to retain at least a portion of the first end of the cartridge.

Exemplary embodiment 9: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receiving portion also comprises one or more retaining elements configured to interact with at least a portion of the first end of the cartridge.

Exemplary embodiment 10: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder is configured such that the sleeve is biased to one or both of the open position and the use position.

Exemplary embodiment 11: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder includes one or more locking elements configured to position the sleeve in one or both of an open position and a use position.

An example embodiment 12: A holder for use with a removable and replaceable cartridge in the form of a substrate, comprising a main body forming a receiving portion and a passage for an aerosol extending from the receiving portion through the main body and through its first end, and a sleeve forming the first end and a distal end, wherein the sleeve comprises a substantially solid wall of the sleeve located around at least a portion of the main body, wherein the receiving portion of the main body is configured to receive at least a portion of the first end of the cartridge, and the sleeve is configured to slide relative to the main body into and out of an open position, in which the distal end of the sleeve is located near the receiving portion of the main body, and into and out of a use position, in which the distal end is located at a distance from the receiving portion of the main body.

Exemplary embodiment 13: The holder of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder has a substantially elongated overall shape.

Exemplary embodiment 14: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive a cartridge having a substantially cylindrical overall shape.

Exemplary embodiment 15: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receiving portion of the holder comprises a separate portion from the main body.

Exemplary embodiment 16: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, further comprising a substantially hollow aerosol tube configured to be fluidly connected to the aerosol passage of the main body and extending beyond the first end thereof.

Exemplary embodiment 17: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, further comprising a mouthpiece fluidly connected to the aerosol passage.

Exemplary embodiment 18: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the mouthpiece is removable and replaceable.

Exemplary embodiment 19: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receiving portion is configured to retain at least a portion of the first end of an inserted cartridge.

Exemplary embodiment 20: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the receiving portion also comprises one or more retaining elements configured to interact with at least a portion of the first end of the inserted cartridge.

Exemplary embodiment 21: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the sleeve is movable to one or both of an open position and a use position.

Exemplary embodiment 22: A holder according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, further comprising one or more locking elements configured to position the sleeve in one or both of an open position and a use position.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four or more of the above embodiments, as well as combinations of two, three, four or more features or elements set forth in the present description, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole, such that any individual features or elements of the disclosed invention in any of its various aspects and embodiments should be considered as combinable unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Thus, having described the present disclosure in the general terms set forth above, reference is made below to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device shown in an open position according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device shown in a position of use according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device shown in a position of use according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device shown in a position of use according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a removable and replaceable cartridge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a removable and replaceable cartridge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to examples of its implementations. These example embodiments are described in such a way that this disclosure thoroughly, completely and fully conveys the scope of the invention to a person skilled in the art. In fact, the present invention is implemented in many different forms and should not be considered as limited to the embodiments given herein; on the contrary, these embodiments are given so that the present invention complies with applicable legal requirements. In this description and in the appended claims, grammatical constructions indicating the singular also mean the plural, unless the context of the invention clearly dictates otherwise.

The present invention provides descriptions of articles (and methods of assembling and/or manufacturing the same) in which a material is heated (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent) to form an aerosol and/or an inhalable substance; wherein such articles are most preferably sufficiently compact to be considered portable devices. According to preferred aspects, the articles are characterized as smoking articles. As used herein, the term "smoking article" is intended to refer to an article and/or device that provides a variety of sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of flavors and aromas, organoleptic effects, physical sensation, rituals of use, visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe without actually burning to any significant extent any of the components of the article and/or device. As used in this application, the term "smoking article" does not necessarily mean that the article and/or device produces smoke in the sense that the aerosol is not the result of by-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather that the article or device most preferably produces vapors (including vapors in the form of aerosols that are considered to be visible aerosols and that are considered to be describable as smoke-like) resulting from the vaporization or evaporation of certain components, elements and/or the like of the article or device. According to preferred aspects, articles or devices characterized as smoking articles contain tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco.

As noted above, the aerosol-generating components of certain preferred aerosol delivery devices can provide a variety of sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, flavor and aroma types, organoleptic effects, physical sensation, use rituals, visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or smoking pipe that are caused by lighting and burning tobacco (and then inhaling the tobacco smoke) without significantly burning any of their components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to some example embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention can hold and use this component in a manner similar to how a smoker uses a traditional type of smoking article, by inhaling through one end of said means to inhale the aerosol generated by this means, by inhaling or performing puffs at selected intervals, and the like.

The proposed articles and/or devices are also characterized as vapor-generating articles, aerosol delivery articles or drug delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices are adapted to deliver one or more substances in a form or state suitable for inhalation. For example, the inhalable substances are essentially in the form of a vapor (e.g., a substance that is in the gaseous phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substances are in the form of an aerosol (e.g., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used in this application is intended to refer to vapors, gases and aerosols of a form or type that are suitable for inhalation by a person, regardless of whether they are or are not visible and have or do not have a form that can be considered "smoke-like". In some embodiments, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" can be interchangeable. Thus, for simplicity, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol” used to describe this disclosure should be understood as interchangeable unless otherwise noted.

When used, the proposed smoking articles are used in various physical actions of a person using a smoking article of a traditional type (for example, a cigarette, cigar or pipe, which is consumed by lighting a flame and used by inhaling tobacco, which is subsequently burned and/or combusted). For example, a user of the proposed smoking article holds this article as a smoking article of a traditional type, taking a drag through one end of the said article to inhale the aerosol formed by this article, taking drags at selected intervals.

Although the systems are generally described herein in terms of embodiments related to smoking articles, such as so-called "heated tobacco products," it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in a variety of different forms and associated with different articles. For example, the description provided herein may be used in conjunction with embodiments of traditional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), cigarettes that use heating of tobacco instead of burning it, and corresponding packaging for any of the products described herein. Accordingly, it should be understood that the description of the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are given in terms of embodiments related to aerosol delivery devices by way of example only and may be embodied and used in various other products and methods.

The proposed smoking articles generally comprise a number of elements formed or contained in a shell of the same type as the casing, outer wrapper or wrapping material, body, component, module, element or the like. The overall design of the shell is variable, and the configuration and format of the shell, which defines the overall size and shape of the smoking article, is also variable. According to some aspects, it is desirable that the overall design, size and/or shape of the shell resemble a conventional cigarette or cigar. Typically, a shell resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar comprises detachable components, elements or the like that interact to form the shell. For example, according to some aspects, such a smoking article may comprise detachable components that include a holder and a cartridge that includes an aerosol delivery component (such as, for example, a substrate material) and a heat source component. In various aspects, the heat source can be configured to generate heat for aerosolizing a substrate material that includes, for example, an extruded structure and/or a substrate, a substrate material associated with an aerosol precursor composition, tobacco and/or a tobacco-related material, such as a material that is naturally present in tobacco and that can be directly isolated from tobacco or produced synthetically in solid or liquid form (e.g., beads, sheets, pieces, wrapper) or the like. In some embodiments, the extruded structure can comprise tobacco products or a composite of tobacco with other materials, such as, for example, a ceramic powder. In other embodiments, porous ceramic beads can be filled with a tobacco extract/tobacco suspension. Other embodiments can use non-tobacco products. In some embodiments, porous beads/powders (ceramic) filled with an aerosol precursor composition can be used. In other embodiments, rods/cylinders made from an extruded suspension of ceramic powder and an aerosol precursor composition may be used.

According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, it is advantageous to provide an aerosol delivery device that is easy to use and that provides reusable and/or replaceable components. FIGS. 1-4 show such a device. In particular, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device 100 shown in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device 100 shown in a position of use according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device in which the sleeve is shown as transparent and in a position of use according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an aerosol delivery device shown in a position of use according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in the drawings, the aerosol delivery device 100 of the illustrated embodiment includes a holder 200 and a removable and replaceable cartridge 300 (described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6). In the illustrated embodiment, the holder 200 generally includes a main body 202 and a sleeve 204. As best shown in FIG. 3, in which the sleeve 204 is shown transparent for illustrative purposes, the main body 202 of the illustrated embodiment defines a first end 206 and an opposite distal end 208. In the illustrated embodiment, the holder 200 also includes a receptacle 210 located near the distal end 208 of the main body 202. In various embodiments, the receptacle is configured to receive at least a portion of the removable and replaceable cartridge. In the illustrated embodiment, the receptacle comprises a subcomponent of the main body 202; however, in other embodiments, the receptacle may be a single portion of the main body. In the illustrated embodiment, the holder 200 has an overall length in the range of from about 83 mm to about 120 mm inclusive, a width in the range of from about 15 mm to about 25 mm inclusive, and a height in the range of from about 8 mm to about 13 mm inclusive.

In the illustrated embodiment, the holder 200 (including the main body 202 and the sleeve 204) has a substantially elongated overall shape; however, in other embodiments, the holder or any of its components may have a different shape. For example, in some embodiments, the holder (and/or any of its components) may have a substantially cylindrical shape that mimics the shape of a traditional cigarette. In other embodiments, the holder (and/or any of its components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the holder (and/or any of its components) may have other portable shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the holder (and/or any of its components) may have the shape of a small box, various shapes of a pod mod, or the shape of a keychain.

In the illustrated embodiment, the main body 202 also includes an aerosol passage 212 extending from the receiving portion 210 through its first end 206. The illustrated embodiment also includes a substantially hollow aerosol tube 214 configured to be positioned within at least a portion of the aerosol passage 212 of the main body 202. In the illustrated embodiments, a mouthpiece 215 (shown separately) is configured to be attached to the aerosol tube 214. In the illustrated embodiment, the mouthpiece 215 is attached to the aerosol tube 214; however, in other embodiments, the mouthpiece may be attached to the aerosol tube in various other ways, including by means of a screw connection or an interference fit. As best shown in FIG. 4, the shown aerosol tube 214 extends from the receiving portion 210 through the aerosol channel 212 and beyond the first end 206 of the main body 202. In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol tube 214 and the mouthpiece 215 comprise separate parts from the main body 202. Thus, in some embodiments, the aerosol tube and/or the mouthpiece may be removable and replaceable within the holder. However, in other embodiments, the aerosol tube and/or the mouthpiece may be formed integrally with the main body. In still other embodiments, the aerosol tube and the mouthpiece may comprise a single part, which may or may not be formed integrally with the main body. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the aerosol tube does not necessarily extend all the way to the receiving portion. Furthermore, some embodiments do not necessarily include a mouthpiece. For example, in some embodiments, the first end of the main body may serve as a mouthpiece, and in some embodiments, the first end of the main body may be smaller in size than other portions of the main body.

As noted above, the holder 200 of the illustrated embodiment also includes a sleeve 204 configured to slide into and out of an open position and a closed position. The sleeve 204 of the illustrated embodiment also forms a first end 216 and a distal end 218. As will be described in more detail below, in the open position, the sleeve 204 of the illustrated embodiment is configured to provide access to the cartridge 300 to enable the cartridge 300 to be inserted into the receiving portion 210 of the main body 202 and/or the cartridge 300 to be removed from the receiving portion 210 of the main body 202.

In various embodiments, the main body, the receptacle, the sleeve, the aerosol tube, and the mouthpiece may be made of molded plastic materials such as, for example, polycarbonate, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (nylon), or polypropylene. However, in other embodiments, any one of these components or any combination of these components may be made of another material, such as, for example, another plastic material, a metallic material (such as, but not limited to, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, or bronze), a graphite material, a glass material, a ceramic material, a natural material (such as, but not limited to, a wood material), a composite material, or any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the main body, the receptacle, the sleeve, and the mouthpiece may be made of the same material; however, in other embodiments, any one or any combination of these components may be made of different materials.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a removable and replaceable cartridge 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 300 defines a first end 302 and a distal end 304. The cartridge 300 of the illustrated embodiment also includes a heating portion 306 that includes a heat source 308, a substrate portion 310 that includes a substrate material 316 (see FIG. 6), and an outer casing 312 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 308 and the substrate material 316. It should be noted that although in the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 300 has a substantially cylindrical overall shape, in various other embodiments, the cartridge or any of its components may have a different shape. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge (and/or any of its components) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, the cartridge (and/or any of its components) may have other portable forms. Some examples of cartridge configurations that may be applicable to the present invention can be found in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/515,637, filed July 18, 2019, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device with Consumable Cartridge, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, a barrier may exist between the heat source and the substrate material. In some embodiments, such a barrier may comprise a disk that may comprise one or more openings therethrough. In some embodiments, the barrier may be made of a metallic material (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a heat transfer component may exist between the heat source and the substrate material, which may or may not comprise a barrier. Some examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/923,735, filed March 16, 2018, entitled Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the barrier and/or heat transfer component may prevent or inhibit combustion gases from being drawn through the substrate material (and/or drawn through air passages through which the aerosol is drawn).

In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat when ignited. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 308 comprises a combustible fuel element that has a generally cylindrical shape and comprises a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prismatic shape having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. Carbonaceous materials typically have a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials preferably consist of carbon, typically having a carbon content greater than about 60 percent, typically greater than about 70 percent, often greater than about 80 percent, and most often greater than about 90 percent, based on dry weight.

In some cases, the heat source may include elements other than combustible carbonaceous materials (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobaccos or tobacco extracts; flavorings; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium carbonate; heat-resistant graphite fibers, hollow cylindrical (e.g., tubular) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass threads; powdered calcium carbonate; aluminum oxide granules; ammonia sources such as ammonia salts and/or binding agents such as guar gum, ammonium alginate and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a plurality of flammable objects, such as, for example, a plurality of flammable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ in composition or relative content from those listed above. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon, such as graphite or graphene, may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have increased levels of activated carbon, different carbon porosities, different amounts of carbon, mixtures of any of the above components, and the like. In yet other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a non-carbon heat source, such as, for example, a flammable liquefied gas configured to generate heat when ignited. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may comprise one or more of the following: petroleum gas (liquefied petroleum gas or LPG), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, or n-butane. In yet other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a chemical reaction heat source, wherein ignition of the heat source includes interaction of two or more separate components. For example, a chemical reaction heat source may comprise metallic substances and an activating solution, wherein the heat source is activated upon contact of the metallic substances and the activating solution. Some examples of chemical heat sources can be found in U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Combinations of heat sources are also possible. Although the specific dimensions of a useful heat source may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, heat source 308 has a length in the range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, inclusive, and in some embodiments may be about 12 mm, and an overall diameter in the range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, inclusive, and in some embodiments may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments about 7 mm).

Although in other embodiments the heat source may be formed in various ways, in the embodiment shown the heat source 308 is extruded or mixed using a ground or powdered carbonaceous material, and the heat source 308 has a density that is greater than about 0.5 g/ ^cm3 , often greater than about 0.7 g/ ^cm3 , and most often greater than about 1 g/ ^cm3 , on a dry weight basis. See, for example, the types of components, compositions and designs of fuel sources that are set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Although in various embodiments the heat source may have various shapes, including, for example, a substantially solid cylindrical shape or a hollow cylindrical (e.g. tubular) shape, the heat source 308 of the illustrated embodiment comprises an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material that has a generally cylindrical shape that includes a plurality of internal passages 314 that extend longitudinally from a first end of the heat source 308 to an opposite second end of the heat source 308. In the illustrated embodiment, there are approximately thirteen internal passages 314 that comprise one central internal passage 314a, six surrounding internal passages 314b that are located at a distance from the central internal passages 314a and have the same size (e.g. diameter) as the central internal passage 314a, and six peripheral internal passages 314c that are located at a distance from the outer surface of the heat source 308 and have a smaller diameter than the diameter of the central internal passage 314a. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the presence of a plurality of internal passages is not required and/or the plurality of internal passages may have other shapes and/or sizes. For example, in some embodiments, there may be only two internal passages, and in other embodiments, there may be only one internal passage. Still other embodiments may not contain internal passages at all. Further embodiments may include a plurality of internal passages that may have a non-uniform diameter and/or shape and that may be non-uniformly spaced and/or located within the heat source.

Some embodiments may alternatively or additionally include one or more peripheral grooves that extend longitudinally from the first end of the heat source to the opposite second end, although in other embodiments the grooves do not have to extend along the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, such grooves may be substantially equal in width and depth and may be substantially uniformly distributed around the circumferential surface of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not contain grooves at all. Further embodiments may include a plurality of grooves that may have a non-uniform width and/or depth and that may be non-uniformly spaced around the circumferential surface of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may comprise recesses and/or slots that extend longitudinally from the first end of the extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to its opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbon monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184 to Lobovsky, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thus, some embodiments may provide advantages in terms of reduced time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with an insulation layer (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and costs. Other embodiments of fuel cells include carbon fibers of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 to Brooks et al., or other embodiments of heat sources such as those described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0044818 to Takeuchi et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional examples of heat sources, including systems with an embossed heat source, methods, and smoking articles that include such heat sources are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15/902,665, filed February 22, 2018, entitled System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In general, the heat source is located close enough to the aerosol delivery component (e.g., the substrate portion) having one or more nebulized components so that the aerosol formed/evaporated upon application of heat from the heat source to the nebulized components (as well as any flavors, medications and/or the like that are also provided for delivery to the user) is delivered to the user via the mouthpiece. Thus, when the heat source heats the substrate component, the aerosol is formed, released or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the user. It should be noted that the above terms should be considered interchangeable, so that forms of the specified term such as "release", "release", "releases" or "released" include forms such as "form" or "generate", "forming" or "generating", "forms" or "generates" and "formed" or "generated". In particular, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or an aerosol or a mixture thereof. Furthermore, the selection and arrangement of the various elements of the smoking articles is understandable when considering commercially available electronic smoking articles, such as those representative products referenced in the Background of the Invention section of the disclosure of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the cartridge 300 of FIG. 5. As shown in the drawing, the substrate material 316 in the shown embodiment has opposite first and second ends, and the heat source 308 is located near the first end of the substrate material 316. Although the sizes of the various components of the cartridge can vary depending on the needs of a particular application, in the shown embodiment, the cartridge 300 can have an overall length in the range of from about 10 mm to about 50 mm inclusive and a diameter in the range of from about 2 mm to about 20 mm inclusive. Additionally, in the shown embodiment, the outer casing 312 can have a thickness in the range of from about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm inclusive. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 310 may have a length in the range of about 5 mm to 30 mm inclusive, and a diameter slightly smaller than the entire cartridge to match the thickness of the casing 312, such as, for example, a diameter in the range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm inclusive. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 316 comprises tobacco beads that may have diameters in the range of about 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, although in other embodiments the size may differ. In other embodiments, the substrate material may be a granular tobacco material or a cut filler tobacco. Although other embodiments may differ, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer casing 312 of the cartridge 300 is filled to a volume of about 80 - 90% to allow the insertion of the heat source 308.

In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 310 comprises a substrate material 316 having a single portion, although in other embodiments, the substrate portion may include one or more additional portions of the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may also comprise a second portion of the substrate material (not shown) having opposing first and second ends. In various embodiments, the one or more substrate materials may comprise tobacco or a tobacco-related material with an associated aerosol precursor composition. In other embodiments, non-tobacco materials such as cellulose pulp may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and/or additives for use in the substrate material (and/or substrate materials) are described in more detail below. It should be noted that the following discussion should be applied to any substrate material used in the smoking articles described herein (such as, for example, the substrate material 316 of the illustrated embodiment).

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, ignition of heat source 308 of the illustrated embodiment results in aerosolization of aerosol precursor composition associated with substrate material 316. In various embodiments, aerosol passage 212 and mouthpiece 214 of holder 200 are configured to receive generated aerosol therethrough in response to a puff performed by a user through mouthpiece 214. In some embodiments, mouthpiece 214 may comprise a filter configured to receive aerosol therethrough in response to a puff performed through mouthpiece 214. In various embodiments, the filter may be provided in some aspects as a circular disk radially and/or longitudinally located near the end of the holder opposite the receiving end. Thus, when a puff is performed through mouthpiece 214, the filter may receive aerosol flowing through holder 200 of aerosol delivery device 100. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise separate parts. For example, some embodiments may comprise a part that provides filtration, a part that provides draw resistance, a hollow part that provides space for cooling the aerosol, other parts of the filter, and any one or any combination of the above. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece may comprise a filter that may also provide a flavor additive. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise one or more filter parts that may be replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter parts may be replaceable in order to customize the user experience of the device, including, for example, filter parts that provide different draw resistances and/or different flavors. Some examples of flavor-adding materials and/or components capable of adding flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/408,942, filed May 10, 2019, entitled Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device; U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/935,105, filed March 26, 2018, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control; and in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/353,556, filed March 14, 2019, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Preferably, the elements of the substrate material are not subject to thermal decomposition (e.g., charring, burning or combustion) to any significant extent, and the aerosolized components are captured by air drawn through the smoking article, including the filter (if present), into the user's mouth. In the smoking article 100 of the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 116 comprises a plurality of tobacco pellets formed together into a substantially cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may comprise a plurality of different compositions and combinations thereof, as described in more detail below.

For example, in one embodiment, the substrate material may comprise a blend of flavored and aromatic tobaccos in the form of cut filler. In another embodiment, the substrate material may comprise a reconstituted tobacco material such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,889,143 to Pryor et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 to Raker, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. An additional reconstituted tobacco material may comprise a reconstituted tobacco packaging paper described for the type of cigarettes described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (1988), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For example, the reconstituted tobacco material may comprise a sheet material comprising tobacco and/or tobacco-related materials. Thus, in some embodiments, the substrate material may be formed from a wound roll of reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the substrate material may be formed from pieces, strips of reconstituted tobacco material, and/or the like. In another embodiment, the tobacco sheet may comprise overlapping layers (e.g., a gathered web), which may or may not include thermally conductive components. Examples of substrate-like portions that include a series of overlapping layers (e.g., a collected web) of a substrate base sheet formed by a fibrous filler material, an aerosol-forming material, and a plurality of thermally conductive constituents are described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/905,320, filed February 26, 2018, entitled Heat Conducting Substrate For Electrically Heated Aerosol Delivery Device, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the substrate material may include a plurality of microcapsules, beads, granules, and/or the like that contain a tobacco-related material. For example, a representative microcapsule may have a generally spherical shape and may have an outer coating or shell that contains a central region with a liquid extract obtained from tobacco and/or the like. In some embodiments, one or more substrate materials may include a plurality of microcapsules, each of which has a hollow cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, one or more substrate materials may include a binder material that is capable of maintaining the structural shape and/or integrity of the plurality of microcapsules that have a hollow cylindrical shape.

Useful tobacco in the one or more substrate materials may include or be derived from tobaccos such as flue-cured, burley, oriental, Maryland, dark, fire-cured, and shag, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Various representative tobacco types, processed tobacco types, and tobacco blend types are shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Patent No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; in U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al.; in U.S. Patent No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al.; in U.S. Patent No. 6,730,832 to Dominguez et al.; in U.S. Patent No. 7,011,096 to Li et al.; in U.S. Patent No. 7,017,585 to Li et al.; in U.S. Patent No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al.; in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0255965 to Perfetti et al.; in PCT Application Publication WO 02/37990 to Bereman and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, pp. 11–17 (1997), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

In yet other embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate material may include an extruded structure that includes or consists essentially of tobacco, a tobacco-related material, glycerin, water, and/or a binder, although some formulations may not include a binder. In various embodiments, suitable binders may include alginates such as ammonium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, potassium alginate, and sodium alginate. Alginates, and in particular high viscosity alginates, may be used in combination with controlled levels of free calcium ions. Other suitable binders include hydroxypropyl cellulose such as Klucel H manufactured by Aqualon Co.; hydroxypropyl methylcellulose such as Methocel K4MS manufactured by The Dow Chemical Co.; hydroxyethyl cellulose such as Natrosol 250 MRCS manufactured by Aqualon Co.; microcrystalline cellulose, such as Avicel, manufactured by FMC; methylcellulose, such as Methocel A4M, manufactured by The Dow Chemical Co.; and sodium carboxymethylcellulose, such as CMC 7HF and CMC 7H4F, manufactured by Hercules Inc. Still other possible binders include starches (e.g., corn starch), guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, pectins, and xanthan gum. In some embodiments, combinations or mixtures of two or more binders may be used. Other examples of binders are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al. and U.S. Patent No. 4,924,887 to Raker et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be provided as part of a binder (e.g., propylene glycol alginate). In addition, in some embodiments, the binder may comprise nanocellulose derived from tobacco or other biomass.

In some embodiments, the substrate material may include an extruded material as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0042885 to Stone et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In yet another embodiment, the substrate material may comprise an extruded structure and/or a substrate formed from marumarized and/or non-marumarized tobacco. Marumarized tobacco is known, for example, from U.S. Patent No. 5,105,831 to Banerjee et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Marumarized tobacco comprises from about 20 to about 50 percent (by weight) of a tobacco mixture in powder form with glycerin (from about 20 to about 30 weight percent), calcium carbonate (usually from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, often from about 40 to about 60 weight percent), together with binders and/or flavoring agents described herein. In various embodiments, the extruded material may have one or more longitudinal openings.

In various embodiments, the substrate material may take various forms depending on the various amounts of materials used therein. For example, a sample of the substrate material may comprise up to about 98 wt.%, up to about 95 wt.%, or up to about 90 wt.% tobacco and/or tobacco-related material. The sample of the substrate material may also comprise up to about 25 wt.%, about 20 wt.%, or about 15 wt.% water, such as from about 2 wt.% to about 25 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, or from about 7 wt.% to about 15 wt.% water. Flavors and the like (which include medicaments such as nicotine) may comprise up to about 10 wt.%, up to about 8 wt.%, or up to about 5 wt.% of the aerosol delivery component.

Additionally or alternatively, the substrate material may comprise an extruded structure and/or a substrate that comprises or consists essentially of tobacco, glycerin, water, and/or a binder material and, further, is also configured to substantially maintain its structure during the aerosol generation process. Thus, the substrate material may be configured to substantially maintain its shape (i.e., the substrate material does not continuously deform under an applied shear stress) throughout the aerosol generation process. Although such an exemplary substrate material may contain liquids and/or have some moisture content, the substrate may remain substantially solid and may substantially maintain structural integrity throughout the aerosol generation process. Exemplary tobacco and/or tobacco-related materials suitable as a substantially solid substrate material are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0157052 to Ademe et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0335070 to Sears et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,204,287 to White; and U.S. Patent No. 5,060,676 to Hearn et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In some embodiments, the amount of substrate material used in the smoking article may be such that the article has acceptable sensory and organoleptic properties, as well as the desired performance characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition, such as, for example, glycerin and/or propylene glycol, may be used in the substrate material to provide the generation of a visible primary aerosol, which in many respects resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke. For example, the amount of aerosol precursor composition contained in the substrate material of the smoking article may be about 3.5 g or less, about 3 g or less, about 2.5 g or less, about 2 g or less, about 1.5 g or less, about 1 g or less, or about 0.5 g or less.

According to another embodiment, the proposed smoking article may include a substrate material comprising a porous inert material, such as, for example, a ceramic material. For example, in some embodiments, ceramics of various shapes and geometries (e.g., balls, rods, tubes, etc.) may be used, which have different pore morphologies. In addition, in some embodiments, non-tobacco materials, such as an aerosol precursor composition, may be loaded into the ceramic. In another embodiment, the substrate material may include a porous inert material that does not substantially chemically and/or physically react with a tobacco-related material, such as, for example, an extract obtained from tobacco. In addition, extruded tobacco, such as described above, may be porous. For example, in some embodiments, the extruded tobacco material may have an inert gas, such as, for example, nitrogen, which acts as a foaming agent during the extrusion process.

As noted above, in various embodiments, one or more substrate materials may comprise tobacco, a tobacco component, and/or a tobacco-derived material that may be purified, processed, recovered, and/or treated to include an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., humectants such as, for example, propylene glycol, glycerin, and/or the like) and/or at least one flavoring agent, as well as a flame/combustion retardant (e.g., diammonium phosphate and/or another salt) configured to prevent ignition, pyrolysis, combustion, and/or overburning of the substrate material by a heat source. Various methods for incorporating tobacco into smoking articles, and in particular smoking articles that are configured to specifically not combust substantially all of the tobacco in the smoking articles, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Cantrell et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 to Robinson et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0215167 to Crooks et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

As noted above, in some embodiments, flame/combustion retardant materials and other additives may be included in one or more substrate materials and may include organophosphorus compounds, borax, aluminum hydroxide, graphite, potassium tripolyphosphate, dipentaerythritol, pentaerythritol, and polyols. Other substances such as nitrogen salts of phosphonic acid, monoammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium bromide, ammonium borate, ethanolammonium borate, ammonium sulfamate, halogenated organic compounds, thiourea, and antimony oxides are suitable, but are not preferred substances. In each aspect of the non-flammable, fire-resistant and/or burn-resistant materials used in the substrate material and/or other components (whether alone or in combination with each other and/or with other materials), the required properties are most preferably achieved without undesirable outgassing or melting.

According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate material may also include tobacco additives of the type commonly used in the manufacture of tobacco products. These additives may include materials of the types used to enhance the flavor and aroma of tobaccos in the manufacture of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, and the like. For example, these additives may include various cigarette casings and/or topcoat components. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 3,419,015 to Wochnowski; U.S. Patent No. 4,054,145 to Berndt et al.; U.S. Patent No. 4,887,619 to Burcham, Jr. et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,022,416 to Watson; U.S. Patent No. 5,103,842 to Strang et al.; and U.S. Patent No. 5,711,320 to Martin, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Preferred shell materials may include water, sugars and syrups (e.g., sucrose, glucose, and high fructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol), and flavoring agents (e.g., cocoa and licorice). These added components may also include topcoat materials (e.g., flavoring materials such as menthol). See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,449,541 to Mays et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition, the materials described in U.S. Patent No. 4,830,028 to Lawson et al. and U.S. Patent 8,186,360 to Marshall et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, may be added.

In some embodiments, the substrate material may comprise a liquid comprising an aerosol precursor composition and/or a gel comprising an aerosol precursor composition. Some examples of liquid compositions can be found in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/171,920, filed October 26, 2018, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device with Visible Indicator, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As noted above, in various embodiments, one or more substrate materials may have an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise one or more different components, such as a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof). Exemplary additional types of aerosol precursor compositions are listed in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al., PCT WO 98/57556 to Biggs et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (1988), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some aspects, a substrate material can generate a visible aerosol when sufficiently heated (and, if necessary, cooled with air), and the substrate material can generate an aerosol that is considered "smoke-like." In other aspects, a substrate material can generate an aerosol that is substantially invisible, but can be recognized as being present by other characteristics, such as flavor or texture. Thus, the nature of the resulting aerosol may vary depending on the specific components of the aerosol delivery component. The substrate material may be chemically simple compared to the chemical nature of the smoke produced by burning tobacco.

In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise nicotine, which may be present in various concentrations. The source of nicotine may vary, and the nicotine included in the aerosol precursor composition may be derived from a single source or a combination of two or more sources. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine derived from tobacco. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine derived from other organic plant sources, such as, for example, non-tobacco plant sources, including plants of the Solanaceae family. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include synthetic nicotine. In some embodiments, the nicotine included in the aerosol precursor composition may be derived from non-tobacco plant sources, such as other members of the Solanaceae family. The aerosol precursor composition may additionally or alternatively include other active ingredients, without limitation, botanical ingredients (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan) and/or pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins such as B6, B12 and C and cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

A variety of flavoring agents or materials may be suitable for use that alter the sensory or organoleptic character or nature of the primary aerosol of the smoking article. In some embodiments, such flavoring agents are derived from source materials other than tobacco and may be natural or artificial in nature. For example, some flavoring agents may be applied to or introduced into the substrate material and/or the areas of the smoking article in which the aerosol is formed. In some embodiments, such agents may be supplied directly to the heating cavity or area near the heat source or provided by the substrate material. Examples of flavoring agents may include, for example, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and citrus flavors including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, cloves, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarola, cocoa, licorice, and flavoring agents and additives of the type and nature traditionally used to flavor cigarette, cigar, and pipe tobacco. In addition, syrups such as high fructose corn syrup may also be suitable for use.

Flavoring agents may also include agents with acidic or basic characteristics (e.g., organic acids such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid). In some embodiments, flavoring agents may be configured to be combined with elements of the substrate material, if desired. Examples of plant-derived compositions that may be useful are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0152265 to Dube et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Any of the materials, such as flavoring agents, coatings, etc., that may be useful in combination with the tobacco material to alter its sensory properties, including organoleptic properties, such as those already described herein, may be combined with the substrate material. Organic acids, in particular, may be included in the substrate material to alter the flavor, sensation, or organoleptic properties of drugs, such as nicotine, that may be combined with the substrate material. For example, organic acids such as levulinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid may be included in the substrate material with nicotine in amounts up to equimolar (based on the total organic acid content) to nicotine. Any combination of organic acids may be suitable. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate material may comprise from about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per mole of nicotine, from about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per mole of nicotine, from about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid per mole of nicotine, or combinations thereof up to a concentration at which the total amount of organic acid present is equimolar to the total amount of nicotine present in the substrate material. Various additional examples of organic acids useful for forming the substrate material are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0344456 to Dull et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The selection of such additional components may vary depending on such factors as the sensory characteristics desired in the smoking article, and the present invention encompasses any such additional components that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See: Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972), and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

In other embodiments, the substrate material may comprise other materials having a variety of inherent characteristics or properties. For example, the substrate material may comprise a plasticized material or regenerated cellulose in the form of viscose. As another example, viscose (available commercially as VISIL®), which is a regenerated cellulose product including silica, may be suitable. Some carbon fibers may include at least 95 percent carbon or more. Likewise, natural cellulose fibers, such as cotton, may be suitable and may be infused with silica particles or otherwise treated with silica, carbon, or metal particles to improve flame retardancy and minimize off-gassing, particularly any undesirable off-gas components that may have a negative effect on taste (and particularly minimize the likelihood of any toxic off-gas products). Cotton can be treated with, for example, boric acid or various organophosphorus compounds to provide the desired flame retardant properties by dipping, spraying or other methods known in the art. These fibers can also be treated (by infusion coating or both, such as dipping, spraying or vapor deposition) with organic or metallic nanoparticles to provide the desired flame retardant property without the undesirable process of off-gassing or melting.

In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 316 may comprise axes defined at the center and extending longitudinally between the opposite first and second ends, and the cross-section of the substrate material 316 may be symmetrical about the axis in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material may be substantially circular such that the substrate material forms a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its opposite first and second ends. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may form a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may form a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its opposite first and second ends. In other words, in other examples, the substrate material may form an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the substrate material may be aligned along the axis with neighboring elements.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the outer casing 312 of the cartridge 300 in the shown embodiment is configured to surround at least a portion 310 in the form of a substrate, including a substrate material 316. In the shown embodiment, the outer casing 312 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 308. In some embodiments, the outer casing may surround the entire heat source. In the shown embodiment, the outer casing comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer casing 312 of the shown embodiment is made of an aluminum material; however, in other embodiments, the outer casing may be made of other materials, including other metallic materials (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold and bronze), or graphite materials, or ceramic materials, or plastic materials, or any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and/or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a laminate of paper foil. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a shell comprising a laminate that comprises a heat source and a bead-shaped substrate material. Some examples of laminates and/or shells that may be applicable to the present disclosure may be found in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled Smoking Article Cartridge , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the illustrated embodiment, the outer casing 312 is formed as a tubular structure that substantially encloses the substrate material 316; however, as noted above, in other embodiments, the outer casing may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer casing may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer casing 312 comprises a tubular structure that has an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer casing 312 also includes one or more end openings 318 located at the closed end of the outer casing 312 that are configured to allow aerosolized vapor (alternatively referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass through them. The end openings 318 of the illustrated embodiment are formed as a pair of elongated, rounded slots; however, in other embodiments, the end openings may have any shape that allows aerosol to pass through them. Thus, it should be understood that the end openings 318 may comprise fewer or additional openings and/or alternative opening shapes and sizes than those illustrated.

In various embodiments, a holder according to the present disclosure is configured to receive and retain (at least temporarily, such as until a user desires to remove it) a cartridge according to the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the holder can retain the cartridge in a plurality of different ways, such as, for example, by including one or more retaining elements. For example, in some embodiments, one or both of the outer casing of the cartridge and the inner surface of the receiving portion may include one or more projections and/or spring elements and corresponding locking elements configured to retain the cartridge in the receiving portion. In another embodiment, the inner surface of the receiving portion may have a decreasing diameter, and/or one or more parts having a reduced diameter, which may be configured to retain the cartridge in the receiving portion. In another embodiment, the receiving portion (or another part of the holder) may include retractable elements configured to interact with the cartridge to retain it in the receiving portion. In still other embodiments, one or more elements of the cartridge and/or one or more elements of the receptacle may create a releasable connection between the receptacle and the cartridge. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge and the receptacle may have a releasable screw connection. In other embodiments, the cartridge and the receptacle may have a releasable bayonet-type connection. In still other embodiments, the cartridge may be held in the receptacle by a magnetic force. For example, in some embodiments, the outer casing of the cartridge may be made of a ferromagnetic material, and the receptacle may include one or more magnets.

As noted above, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, the sleeve is configured to move into and out of the open position and the use position. For example, FIG. 1 shows the sleeve 204 of the illustrated embodiment in the open position, and FIGS. 2-4 show the sleeve 204 in the use position. In various embodiments, the open position of the sleeve is configured to allow the user to insert and remove the cartridge. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the open position of the sleeve is such that the distal end 218 of the sleeve 204 is located near the distal end 208 of the main body 202. Thus, a portion of the outer casing 312 of the cartridge 300 is available for gripping by the user. However, it should be noted that in various embodiments, the position of the distal end of the sleeve relative to the distal end of the main body in the open position may vary. For example, in the open position of the embodiment shown, the distal end 218 of the sleeve 204 is configured to be located outside (e.g., can extend from) the distal end 208 of the main body 202. However, in the open position of other embodiments, the distal end of the sleeve can be substantially aligned with the distal end of the main body. Furthermore, in the open position of still other embodiments, the distal end of the sleeve can slide past the distal end of the main body such that the distal end of the sleeve is closer to the first end of the main body.

In the use position, the distal end of the sleeve is located away from the receiving portion and in the direction of the distal end of the cartridge. For example, in FIGS. 2 - 4 of the illustrated embodiment, the distal end 218 of the sleeve 204 is configured to be substantially aligned with the distal end 304 of the cartridge 300. It should be noted, however, that in other embodiments, the distal end of the sleeve may be located behind the distal end of the cartridge (e.g., further from the receiving portion), while in other embodiments, the distal end of the sleeve may be located closer to the receiving portion (but not as close to the receiving portion as the position of the distal end of the sleeve in the open position).

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may comprise an air-permeable cover element (e.g., a cover element comprising a plurality of openings or a cover element comprising a mesh) that protects the heat source in the position of use. For example, in one embodiment, the device may include an air-permeable cover element located near the distal end of the sleeve, which may be configured to be mechanically or manually actuated (e.g., by rotating the cover element over the end of the sleeve and/or by sliding the cover element along the end of the sleeve) such that, upon ignition, the cover element may be actuated to substantially close the open end of the sleeve while maintaining sufficient oxygen access to the heat source.

It should be noted that in other embodiments, the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may include a third position, which may be an extinguishing position. Thus, the extinguishing position may be configured such that the heat source is deprived of a sufficient amount of oxygen to support combustion. In some embodiments, the extinguishing position may be obtained by additional sliding of the sleeve. In other embodiments, for example, one or more additional elements may be included, so that the extinguishing position may be achieved by actuating one or more additional elements. In particular, in one embodiment, the device may include an air-tight covering element located near the distal end of the sleeve, which may be configured to be mechanically or manually actuated (for example, by rotating the covering element over the end of the sleeve and/or by sliding the covering element along the end of the sleeve) such that in the extinguishing position, the covering element substantially covers the open end of the sleeve, and the heat source is deprived of a sufficient amount of oxygen to support combustion. In another embodiment, the device may comprise a detachable element, such as, for example, an end cap, which can be used to achieve an extinguishing position. For example, in some embodiments, a separate end cap can be attached to the distal end of the sleeve in such a way that after attachment, the heat source is deprived of sufficient oxygen to support combustion. Such an end cap can also be used to cover the sleeve when it is not in use, for example, to prevent dirt and / or foreign objects from entering the device.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve 204 comprises a sleeve wall 220 that is substantially solid and non-porous; however, in other embodiments, the sleeve wall may have other configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the sleeve wall (or one or more portions thereof) may be non-solid and/or substantially porous or may include one or more non-solid and/or substantially porous portions. In some embodiments, the sleeve may comprise one or more openings that may facilitate oxygen access to the heat source. Alternatively or additionally, other embodiments may include one or more openings that may mix with the aerosol generated during puffing. For example, in some embodiments, the sleeve may include one or more openings near its distal end. Thus, in the use position, one or more openings of the sleeve may be located near the heat source, thereby providing the heat source with additional access to oxygen during combustion. In other embodiments, the sleeve and/or the main body and/or the mouthpiece may include one or more openings that can mix with the aerosol generated by the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, both the sleeve and the main body may include openings that are substantially aligned in the position of use and extend into the aerosol passage of the main body and/or the aerosol tube in such a way that air from outside the holder can mix with the aerosol generated by the substrate material. In other embodiments, the main body and/or the mouthpiece itself may comprise one or more openings extending into the aerosol passage of the main body and/or the aerosol tube in such a way that air from outside the holder can mix with the aerosol generated by the substrate material.

In various embodiments (and as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-4 of the illustrated embodiment), the inner surface of the sleeve wall 220 is located at a certain distance from the heat source 308 such that a gap is maintained between the periphery of the heat source 308 and the inner surface of the sleeve wall 220. In this way, the gap can provide sufficient exposure of the heat source 308 to oxygen so that it remains ignited even after the sleeve is moved from the open position to the use position. For example, in some embodiments of the use position, the size of the gap is in the range of from about 2 mm to about 10 mm, inclusive. In other embodiments, such as, for example, embodiments in which the holder has a substantially cylindrical or cigarette-like shape, the dimensions of the gap can be in the range of from about 2 mm to about 5 mm, inclusive. In other embodiments, the gap can be in the range of from about 10.0 mm to about 20 mm, inclusive.

In some embodiments, the holder (for example, one or both of the sleeve and the main body) may include locking elements configured to position the sleeve in at least one of the open position and the use position. In some embodiments, the holder may include one or more magnets configured to bias and/or position the sleeve in at least one of the open position and the use position. In some embodiments, the holder may include one or more spring elements configured to bias and/or position the sleeve in at least one of the open position and the use position. In some additional embodiments, the holder may emit an audible click when the sleeve is positioned in at least one of the open position and the use position.

According to various embodiments, the present disclosure may be directed to kits that provide various components as described herein. For example, a kit may comprise a holder with one or more cartridges. In another embodiment, the kit may comprise a plurality of holders. In further embodiments, the kit may comprise a plurality of cartridges. In yet another embodiment, the kit may comprise a plurality of holders and a plurality of cartridges. Kits according to the invention may also include a case (or other packaging, carrying or storage component) that houses one or more additional components of the kit. The case may be a reusable hard or soft container. In addition, the case may simply be a box or other packaging structure. In some embodiments, a brush or other cleaning implement may be included in the kit. The cleaning implement may be configured to be inserted into a receiving chamber of the holder or, in other embodiments, inserted into a separate opening that allows the user to remove debris from the receiving chamber.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, using the disclosures provided in the above description and the accompanying drawings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and it is intended that modifications and other embodiments be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used in this application, they are used in a general and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims (14)

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: a removable cartridge defining a first end and a distal end, wherein the cartridge comprises a heating portion and a substrate portion, wherein the substrate portion comprises a substrate material comprising an aerosol precursor composition; and a holder comprising a main body and a sleeve, wherein the main body defines a receiving portion and an aerosol passage extending from the receiving portion through the main body and through its first end, and the sleeve is located around at least a portion of the main body and defines a first end and a distal end, wherein the receiving portion of the main body is configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge near its first end, wherein the sleeve comprises a solid wall of the sleeve, and wherein the sleeve is configured to slide relative to the main body into and out of an open position in which the distal end of the sleeve is located near the receiving portion of the main body, and into and out of a use position in which the distal end of the sleeve is located near the distal end of the cartridge. 2. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the holder has an elongated general shape. 3. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is designed to receive a cartridge having a cylindrical general shape. 4. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving portion of the holder comprises a separate portion from the main body. 5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a hollow aerosol tube configured to be fluidly connected to the aerosol passage of the main body and extending beyond the first end thereof. 6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a mouthpiece fluidly connected to the aerosol passage. 7. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 6, wherein the mouthpiece is designed to be removable and replaceable. 8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is configured to retain at least a portion of the first end of the inserted cartridge. 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein the receiving portion also comprises one or more retaining elements configured to interact with at least a portion of the first end of the inserted cartridge. 10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is movable to one or both of the open position and the use position. 11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising one or more locking elements configured to position the sleeve in one or both of an open position and a position of use.