Electronic smoking article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11974602-B2
Application number	US-202117547621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2021
Priority date	Jul 24, 2013
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

An electronic smoking article includes a liquid aerosol formulation, a heater operable to at least partially volatilize the liquid aerosol formulation and form an aerosol and a tubular filter segment downstream of the heater. The tubular filter segment is operable to selectively filter aerosol particles and vapors from the aerosol.

First claim

We claim:

1. A cartridge of an electronic article comprising:
a housing;
a heater in the housing;
a mouthpiece at an end of the housing;
a filter between the heater and the mouthpiece, the filter including,
a hollow acetate tube including a hollow inner core, and
a first additive in the filter encapsulated by a plurality of microcapsules configured to release the first additive when exposed to water, a first microcapsule of the plurality of microcapsules including a first material having a first level of water solubility, and a second microcapsule of the plurality of microcapsules including a second material having a second level of water solubility, the first level of water solubility and the second level of water solubility being different:

an air inlet between the heater and the filter;
an air channel between the heater and the filter; and
a discharge orifice fluidically connecting the air channel to an open space, the open space defined by the housing between the air channel and the filter.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein
the filter has a length, and
the hollow inner core having an inner diameter that varies along the length of the filter.

3. The cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the length of the filter ranges from about 2 mm to about 30 mm.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the filter is detachable from the housing.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the first additive includes a flavor, an aerosol modifier, an aromatic material, a pH modifying agent, a chemesthesis agent, nicotine, or any combination thereof.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the first additive includes tobacco.

7. The cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second additive coated on at least one surface of the filter.

8. The cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the first additive and the second additive are different.

9. An electronic article comprising:
a cartridge including,
a housing,
a heater in the housing,
a mouthpiece at an end of the housing, and
a filter between the heater and the mouthpiece, the filter including,
a hollow acetate tube including a hollow inner core,
a first additive in the filter encapsulated by a plurality of microcapsules configured to release the first additive when exposed to water, a first microcapsule of the plurality of microcapsules including a first material having a first level of water solubility, and a second microcapsule of the plurality of microcapsules including a second material having a second level of water solubility, the first level of water solubility and the second level of water solubility being different, an air inlet between the heater and the filter,

an air channel between the heater and the filter; and
a discharge orifice fluidically connecting the air channel to an open space, the open space defined by the housing between the air channel and the filter; and

a battery section connectable to the cartridge and including,
a power supply configured to supply power to the heater.

10. The electronic article of claim 9 , wherein
the filter has a length, and
the hollow inner core having an inner diameter that varies along the length of the filter.

11. The electronic article of claim 10 , wherein the length of the filter ranges from about 2 mm to about 30 mm.

12. The electronic article of claim 9 , wherein the first additive includes a flavor, an aerosol modifier, an aromatic material, a pH modifying agent, a chemesthesis agent, nicotine, or any combination thereof.

13. The electronic article of claim 9 , wherein the first additive includes tobacco.

14. The electronic article of claim 9 ,
further comprising:
a second additive coated on at least one surface of the filter.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Li San
• Karles Georgios D
• Jupe Richard
• Kobal Gerd
• Mishra Munmaya K

Classifications

• A24F40/42 Primary

  Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24D3/048

  containing additives · CPC title

• A24D3/061

  containing additives entrapped within capsules, sponge-like material or the like, for further release upon smoking · CPC title

• A24D3/17

  Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices · CPC title

• A24F40/40

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