Aerosol generating device with a capillary interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10178880-B2
Application number	US-201615156067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2011
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol generating device comprising a storage portion (113, 501) for storing aerosol-forming substrate (115, 505). The device comprises: a vaporizer (119, 509) for heating the aerosol-forming substrate (115, 505), a capillary material (117, 507) for conveying the liquid aerosol-forming substrate (115, 505) from the storage portion (113, 501) towards the vaporizer (119, 509) by capillary action, and a porous material (201, 301, 405, 511) between the capillary material (117, 507) and the vaporizer (119, 509).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerosol generating device, comprising
an aerosol-forming substrate;
a vaporizer configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate;
a capillary material configured to convey the aerosol-forming substrate towards the vaporizer by capillary action; and
a porous material between the capillary material and the vaporizer,
wherein the vaporizer is disposed inside a porous member, and
wherein a portion of the porous member disposed between the vaporizer and the capillary material forms the porous material.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating device is electrically operated and the vaporizer comprises an electric heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the porous material comprises a heat-resistant material.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the electric heater is configured to reach a temperature of between 200 degrees Celsius and 440 degrees Celsius.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the porous material is ceramic.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the porous material and the capillary material comprise different materials.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer and the porous member are integrally formed.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage portion configured to store the aerosol-forming substrate, the storage portion being refillable.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage portion configured to store the aerosol-forming substrate, the storage portion comprising an interior passageway.

10. The aerosol generating device according to claim 9 , further comprising
at least one air inlet;
at least one air outlet; and
an aerosol forming chamber disposed between the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet,
wherein the aerosol forming chamber defines an air flow route from the at least one air inlet to the at least one air outlet via the aerosol forming chamber, and
wherein the air flow route passes through the interior passageway.

11. A cartridge, comprising:
an aerosol-forming substrate;
a vaporizer configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate;
a capillary material configured to convey the aerosol-forming substrate towards the vaporizer by capillary action; and
a porous material between the capillary material and the vaporizer,
wherein the vaporizer is disposed inside a porous member, and
wherein a portion of the porous member disposed between the vaporizer and the capillary material forms the porous material.

12. The cartridge according to claim 11 , wherein the aerosol generating device is electrically operated and the vaporizer comprises an electric heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate, the electric heater being connectable to an electric power supply in the aerosol generating device.

13. The cartridge according to claim 11 , wherein the porous material comprises a heat-resistant material.

14. The cartridge according to claim 12 , wherein the electric heater is configured to reach a temperature of between 200 degrees Celsius and 440 degrees Celsius.

15. The cartridge according to claim 11 , wherein the porous material is ceramic.

16. The cartridge according to claim 11 , wherein the porous material and the capillary material comprise different materials.

17. The cartridge according to claim 11 , wherein the vaporizer and the porous member are integrally formed.

18. The cartridge according to claim 11 , further comprising a storage portion configured to store the aerosol-forming substrate, the storage portion being refillable.

19. The cartridge according to claim 11 , further comprising a storage portion configured to store the aerosol-forming substrate, the storage portion comprising an interior passageway.

20. The cartridge according to claim 19 , further comprising
at least one air inlet;
at least one air outlet; and
an aerosol forming chamber disposed between the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet,
wherein the aerosol forming chamber defines an air flow route from the at least one air inlet to the at least one air outlet via the aerosol forming chamber, and
wherein the air flow route passes through the interior passageway.

21. An aerosol generating system, comprising:
an aerosol generating device in cooperation with a cartridge, the cartridge or the aerosol generating device comprising an aerosol-forming substrate;
wherein the cartridge or the aerosol generating device comprises a vaporizer configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol;
wherein the cartridge or the aerosol generating device comprises a capillary material configured to convey the aerosol-forming substrate towards the vaporizer by capillary action; and
wherein the cartridge or the aerosol generating device comprises a porous material between the capillary material and the vaporizer,
wherein the vaporizer is disposed inside a porous member, and
wherein a portion of the porous member disposed between the vaporizer and the capillary material forms the porous material.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Dubief Flavien

Classifications

• A61M15/06

  Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes · CPC title

• H05B1/0227

  Applications · CPC title

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title

• H05B3/141

  Conductive ceramics, e.g. metal oxides, metal carbides, barium titanate, ferrites, zirconia, vitrous compounds · CPC title

• A61M2205/3653

  by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance · CPC title