Lighting unit for aerosol-generating systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11758948-B2
Application number	US-201916260695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A cartridge for use with an aerosol-generating system has a housing defining a liquid containing volume. The housing includes a sidewall extending from a mouthpiece end to a power supply end. The housing includes a transparent region forming at least a portion of the sidewall. The housing includes a light source fixed to the sidewall. The light source is configured to transmit light into the liquid containing volume. The light source may be fixed to an inner surface of the sidewall, fixed to an outer surface of the sidewall, or form a portion or the sidewall.

First claim

We claim:

1. A cartridge for use with an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge comprising:
a housing defining a liquid containing volume, the housing including,
a sidewall extending from a first end to a second end,
a mouthpiece facing end portion coupled to the first end of the sidewall,
a light source defining an annular ring forming an exterior portion of the housing and configured to transmit light into the liquid containing volume, the light source coupled to the second end of the sidewall, and
a battery facing end portion coupled to the light source; and

a transparent region forming at least a portion of the sidewall.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical interface electrically connected to the light source and coupled to the sidewall, the housing, or both the sidewall and the housing.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of an inner surface of the sidewall includes a light reflective layer.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent region comprises an anti-reflective coating.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a solid-state light source.

6. The cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the solid-state light source is a light emitting diode.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a radioluminescence material.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein the radioluminescence material comprises radium, promethium, tritium, or any combination thereof.

9. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the light source emits light wavelengths in a range from 420 to 720 nm.

10. An aerosol-generating system comprising,
a power supply;
an atomizer electrically coupled to the power supply; and
a cartridge including,
a housing defining a liquid containing volume, the housing including,
a sidewall extending from a first end to a second end,
a mouthpiece facing end portion coupled to the first end of the sidewall,
a light source defining an annular ring forming an exterior portion of the housing and configured to transmit light into the liquid containing volume, the light source coupled to the second end of the sidewall, and
a battery facing end portion coupled to the light source; and

a transparent region forming at least a portion of the sidewall.

11. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 10 , wherein the power supply comprises a complementary electrical interface electrically coupled to an electrical interface of the light source.

12. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a control circuit coupled to the light source configured to illuminate the light source independently from activating the atomizer.

13. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a light sensor coupled to the light source.

14. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the annular ring is coaxial with the second end of the sidewall and the battery facing end portion.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Ricketts Nikolaus Martin Ernest Wilhelm
• Slama Philippe

Classifications

• A24F40/60 Primary

  Devices with integrated user interfaces · CPC title

• A61M15/06

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

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title

• A61M11/042

  electrical · CPC title

• A61M2205/587

  Lighting arrangements · CPC title