Smoking article with detachable cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11723399-B2
Application number	US-201816035103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2018
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a smoking article that comprises a holder that includes a receiving end and a mouth end, a removable cartridge configured to be received at the receiving end of the holder, the removable cartridge comprising a heat source configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof, and a substrate portion having opposed first and second ends, the heat source being disposed proximate the first end of the substrate portion, and the substrate portion including a substrate material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith, and an ejection mechanism configured to move the cartridge relative to the holder between a received position and an ejected position. In one implementation, the ejection mechanism comprises a pusher pin, a guide ring, a carrier sleeve, and a spring, wherein the cartridge is configured to be received into the carrier sleeve, and wherein the pusher pin is configured to move relative to the guide ring so as to actuate the carrier sleeve alternately between the received position and the ejected position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A smoking article comprising:
a holder that includes a receiving end and a mouth end;
a removable cartridge configured to be received into the receiving end of the holder, the removable cartridge comprising a heat source configured to generate heat upon ignition thereof, and a substrate portion having opposed first and second ends, the heat source being disposed proximate the first end of the substrate portion, and the substrate portion including a substrate material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith; and
an ejection mechanism configured to move the cartridge relative to the holder between a received position and an ejected position, the ejection mechanism including a carrier sleeve,
wherein the holder comprises a main body portion and a mouthpiece at the mouth end of the holder, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to move relative to the main body portion, wherein in the ejected position, the mouthpiece is depressed over the main body portion toward the receiving end thereof, wherein the carrier sleeve comprises a receiving cavity configured to receive an end of the removable cartridge, and wherein actuation of the mouthpiece causes the carrier sleeve to move relative to the main body portion between the received position and the ejected position.

2. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge further comprises an outer housing configured to circumscribe at least a portion of the substrate portion.

3. The smoking article of claim 2 , wherein the outer housing includes one or more end apertures configured to allow aerosol from the substrate material to pass therethrough.

4. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a pusher pin, a guide ring, the carrier sleeve, and a spring, wherein the pusher pin is configured to move the carrier sleeve relative to the guide ring so as to actuate the carrier sleeve alternately between the received position and the ejected position.

5. The smoking article of claim 4 , wherein the carrier sleeve includes a vapor passageway and the pusher pin includes an inside bore, and wherein the vapor passageway and the inside bore are configured to provide a path for aerosol from the substrate material to pass therethrough.

6. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the substrate material comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco strips, pieces of a reconstituted tobacco material, tobacco rods, and non-tobacco materials.

7. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the substrate material comprises a non-tobacco material.

8. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material.

9. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the heat source defines one or more passages extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

10. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the heat source defines one or more peripheral grooves extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

11. The smoking article of the claim 1 , wherein the holder includes a plurality of openings located proximate the receiving end.

12. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the holder is constructed of at least one of a ceramic material, a plastic material, and a metal material.

13. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the holder includes a thermal indicator configured to indicate a status of the cartridge.

14. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the substrate material comprises first and second substrate material segments and wherein the second substrate material segment is disposed proximate a second end of the first substrate material segment.

15. The smoking article of claim 14 , wherein the second substrate material segment comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco strips, pieces of a reconstituted tobacco material, or tobacco rods.

16. The smoking article of claim 14 , wherein the second substrate material segment comprises a non-tobacco material.

17. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece includes a filter.

18. The smoking article of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes one or more retaining features configured to retain the cartridge once inserted into the holder.

19. The smoking article of claim 18 , wherein the holder includes one or more retaining features configured to engage respectively with the one or more retaining features of the cartridge.

Assignees

• Reynolds Tobacco Co R

Inventors

• Conner Billy T
• Braxton Paul E
• Sears Stephen B
• Cleckley Karen H
• Gage Justin William
• Short Jason M

Classifications

• H05B2203/021

  Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids · CPC title

• A24B15/243

  Nicotine · CPC title

• A24F40/65

  Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means · CPC title

• A24F40/51

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F13/02

  Cigar or cigarette holders (mouthpieces A24F7/00; producing tubular cigar or cigarette holders from plastics or from substances in a plastic state B29D23/14) · CPC title