Non-nicotine pod assemblies and non-nicotine e-vaping devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11596172-B2
Application number	US-201916695515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2019
Priority date	Nov 26, 2019
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

A non-nicotine e-vaping device may include a non-nicotine pod assembly and a device body. The non-nicotine pod assembly has upstream and downstream ends and is configured to hold a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation. The upstream end may define at least one upstream recess, and the downstream end may define at least one downstream recess. The device body defines a through hole configured to receive the non-nicotine pod assembly. The through hole includes an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall. The upstream sidewall may include at least one upstream protrusion, and the downstream sidewall may include at least one downstream protrusion. The at least one upstream protrusion and the at least one downstream protrusion may be configured to engage with the at least one upstream recess and the at least one downstream recess, respectively, so as to retain the non-nicotine pod assembly within the through hole of the device body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:
a non-nicotine pod assembly configured to hold a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation, the non-nicotine pod assembly having an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end defining at least one upstream recess, the downstream end defining at least one downstream recess; and
a device body defining a through hole configured to receive the non-nicotine pod assembly, the through hole including an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall, the upstream sidewall including at least one upstream protrusion, the downstream sidewall including at least one downstream protrusion, the at least one upstream protrusion and the at least one downstream protrusion configured to engage with the at least one upstream recess and the at least one downstream recess, respectively, so as to facilitate a pivoting of non-nocotine pod assembly into and retaining the non-nicotine pod assembly within the through hole of the device body, the at least one downstream protrusion of the device body including two downstream protrusions disposed on adjacent corners of the downstream sidewall of the through hole.

2. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the upstream end is an opposing surface of the non-nicotine pod assembly from the downstream end.

3. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein a depth of the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly is greater than a depth of the at least one downstream recess.

4. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein a terminus of the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly is more rounded than a terminus of the at least one downstream recess.

5. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly includes two upstream recesses.

6. A non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:
a non-nicotine pod assembly configured to hold a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation, the non-nicotine pod assembly having an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end defining at least one upstream recess, the downstream end defining at least one downstream recess; and
a device body defining a through hole configured to receive the non-nicotine pod assembly, the through hole including an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall, the upstream sidewall including at least one upstream protrusion, the downstream sidewall including at least one downstream protrusion, the at least one upstream protrusion and the at least one downstream protrusion configured to engage with the at least one upstream recess and the at least one downstream recess, respectively, so as to facilitate a pivoting of the non-nicotine pod assembly into and retaining the non-nicotine pod assembly within the through hole of the device body, the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly including two upstream recesses, the upstream end of the non-nicotine pod assembly further defining a pod inlet between the two upstream recesses.

7. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly is in a form of a U-shaped indentation.

8. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one downstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly includes two downstream recesses.

9. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the downstream end of the non-nicotine pod assembly further defines a pod outlet between the two downstream recesses.

10. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one downstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly is in a form of a V-shaped notch.

11. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the device body is configured to produce at least one of an audible click or a haptic feedback in response to the non-nicotine pod assembly being seated within the through hole of the device body.

12. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream protrusion of the device body is a stationary pivot.

13. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream protrusion of the device body includes two upstream protrusions disposed on adjacent corners of the upstream sidewall of the through hole.

14. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one downstream protrusion of the device body is a retractable member.

15. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 14 , wherein the retractable member is spring-loaded.

16. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the device body includes a mouthpiece defining a vapor passage in fluidic communication with the through hole.

17. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 16 , wherein the mouthpiece is secured to the at least one downstream protrusion of the device body, the mouthpiece configured to be biased against the non-nicotine pod assembly when the non-nicotine pod assembly is seated within the through hole of the device body.

18. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 16 , wherein the mouthpiece has a proximal end and a distal end, the vapor passage at the proximal end having a flared portion.

19. A device body for a non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:
a device housing defining a through hole configured to receive a non-nicotine pod assembly, the through hole including an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall, the upstream sidewall including at least one upstream protrusion, the downstream sidewall including at least one downstream protrusion, the at least one upstream protrusion configured to engage with at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly so as to facilitate a pivoting of the non-nicotine pod assembly into the through hole, the at least one downstream protrusion including two downstream protrusions disposed on adjacent corners of the downstream sidewall of the through hole.

20. A non-nicotine pod assembly for a non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:
a pod body configured to hold a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation, the pod body having an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end defining a pod inlet and at least one upstream recess, the downstream end defining a pod outlet and at least one downstream recess, the at least one upstream recess including two upstream recesses, the pod inlet being between the two upstream recesses, the at least one downstream recess including two downstream recesses, the pod outlet being between the two downstream recesses.

21. The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the device body has a rim around the through hole that includes the at least one upstream protrusion.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Twite Dean
• Hourmand Yannick
• Dendy Charles
• Patil Bipin
• Sundar Rangaraj S
• Newcomb Christopher
• Gallagher Niall
• Lau Raymond W
• Hawes Eric

Classifications

• A24B15/302

  by natural substances obtained from animals or plants · CPC title

• A61M15/06

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

• A24F40/42 Primary

  Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/40 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title