Method of operating an e-vaping device including establishing first fluid gradient and second fluid gradient

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11627762-B2
Application number	US-202117385310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2021
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

The method includes establishing a first fluid gradient through a central passage, the central passage traversing through a first channel, the first channel defining at least one first hole, a housing covering the first channel, a first reservoir being defined between the housing and the first channel, a second reservoir defined between the first channel and the central passage. The method further includes establishing a second fluid gradient through the at least one first hole, through at least a first portion of the second reservoir, and through at least a second portion of a wick, a heater being in communication with the wick and the central passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an e-vaping device, comprising:
establishing a first fluid gradient through a central passage, the central passage traversing through a first channel, the first channel defining at least one first hole, a housing covering the first channel, a first reservoir being defined between the housing and the first channel, a second reservoir defined between the first channel and the central passage; and
establishing a second fluid gradient through the at least one first hole, through at least a first portion of the second reservoir, and through at least a second portion of a wick, a heater being in communication with the wick and the central passage.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the second fluid gradient includes communicating a pre-vapor formulation through at least one first layer of absorbent material and into the wick, distal ends of the wick being in contact with the least one first layer of absorbent material, the least one first layer of absorbent material being within the second reservoir.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
at least partially vaporizing the pre-vapor formulation communicated to the wick to form a vapor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the establishing of the first fluid gradient includes communicating an airflow though the central passage, the airflow being entrained with the vapor.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the establishing of the second fluid gradient includes communicating the pre-vapor formulation through at least one second hole defined by a second channel, the second channel being at least partially contained within the first channel, the second channel at least partially defining the central passage and the second reservoir.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a portion of the wick traverses through the at least one second hole.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising;
filling a cartridge of the e-vaping device with a pre-vapor formulation; and
sealing the cartridge, prior to the establishing of the first fluid gradient and the second fluid gradient, the cartridge including the first reservoir and the second reservoir.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the filling of the cartridge includes pouring the pre-vapor formulation into the first reservoir through a first end of the cartridge.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sealing of the cartridge includes fitting a mouth-end insert onto the first end of the cartridge.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the establishing of the second fluid gradient includes communicating the pre-vapor formulation through at least one second hole defined by a second channel, the second channel being at least partially contained within the first channel, the second channel at least partially defining the central passage and the second reservoir, at one first layer of absorbent material being within the second reservoir.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the housing, the first channel and the second channel are connected to the mouth-end insert.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a total cross-sectional area of the at least one first hole is between about 3.14 mm 2 and 9.42 mm 2 .

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the second fluid gradient includes communicating a pre-vapor formulation through at least one second hole defined by a second channel, the second channel being at least partially contained within the first channel, the second channel at least partially defining the central passage and the second reservoir.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the establishing of the first fluid gradient includes communicating an airflow through the central passage, the central passage being partially defined by a third channel, the third channel at least partially traversing through a connector of a cartridge of the e-vaping device, the cartridge including the first reservoir and the second reservoir.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
passing an electrical current through the heater to at least partially vaporize the pre-vapor formulation communicated to the wick to form a vapor,
wherein a first electrical lead is connected to the third channel, the third channel being electrically conductive, and a second electrical lead is connected to a first end of the connector, the passing of the electrical current including the electrical current passing through the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead that are electrically connected to the heater.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the passing of the electrical current includes extending, the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead along an outer surface of the third channel, a first end of the second channel being connected to the first end of the connector.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the connector is on a first end of the cartridge, a first end of the first channel is connected to a first end of the connector, and the first end of the first channel is at least partially circumscribed by the first end of the connector, the establishing of the first fluid gradient including communicating the airflow through at least one air inlet in a first portion of a second end of the connector, the first portion extending from the confines of the housing, the at least one air inlet being in communication with the central passage.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a first adhesive is on at least a portion of a groove defined by an outer surface of the connector, and the first adhesive connects the housing to the connector, a second adhesive being along a juncture between the first end of the first channel and the first end of the connector, and the first end of the first channel at least partially circumscribing the first end of the connector.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Tucker Christopher S
• Cadieux Edmond
• Smith Barry S
• Crowe William J
• Tran Nam

Classifications

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title

• A24F40/50

  Control or monitoring · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/70

  Manufacture · CPC title

• A24F40/40

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