Temperature control in an aerosol delivery device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560898-B2
Application number	US-202318173702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2023
Priority date	Nov 19, 2018
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a power source, a heating element, a switch coupled to and between the power source and the heating element, and processing circuitry coupled to the switch. The processing circuitry outputs a PWM signal during a heating time period to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect the output voltage to the heating element to power the heating element. The processing circuitry outputs a pulse of known current to the heating element, and measure voltage across the heating element, between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal. And the processing circuitry calculates the resistance of the heating element based on the known current and the voltage, calculates the temperature of the heating element based on the resistance, and adjusts a duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aerosol delivery device comprising:
a housing; a power source arranged in the housing and configured to provide an output voltage usable by the aerosol delivery device; processing circuitry arranged in the housing and powerable by the power source and configured to:
measure properties of a circuit of the aerosol delivery device including a first voltage; and
output a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal including a first pulse of known current, based at least on the measured properties of the circuit, to cause the output voltage to be switchably connected and disconnected to the circuit to perform a function of the aerosol delivery device;
a switch arranged in the housing coupleable between the power source and the circuit, wherein the processing circuitry is coupled to the switch; and wherein the power source and the processing circuitry are so arranged in the housing to enable an electrical connection to form between the power source and the processing circuitry and an element arranged to perform the function of the aerosol delivery device, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
during a period in which the PWM signal is absent and the output voltage is disconnected, output a second pulse of a known current to the element, and measure a second voltage across the element,
calculate a nominal resistance of the element based on the known current and the second voltage, and calculate a nominal temperature of the element based on the nominal resistance, and
calculate the temperature of the element further based on the nominal temperature.

2 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output the PWM signal to the switch to cause the switch to connect and disconnect the power source to the circuit to thereby connect the output voltage to the circuit to power the circuit.

3 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 2 , wherein the PWM signal includes pulses over which the output voltage to the circuit is connected, and between which the output voltage to the circuit is disconnected.

4 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the element comprises a heating element that has a resistance which is variable and proportional to a temperature of the heating element, and wherein the properties measured by the processing circuitry includes the first voltage across the heating element, and wherein the function of the aerosol delivery device is to produce an aerosol using the heating element.

5 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output the first pulse of known current to the heating element, and measure the first voltage across the heating element, between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal, and
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate the resistance of the heating element based on the known current and the voltage, calculate the temperature of the heating element based on the resistance, and adjust a duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target by increasing or decreasing the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature is respectively below or above the predetermined target.

6 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 5 , wherein the first pulse of known current that is output to the heating element causes the voltage across the heating element to be produced, and the known current is selected such that the voltage is less than one-half the output voltage provided by the power source.

7 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the element is arranged in the housing.

8 . The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the element is arranged in a housing separate from the housing in which the power source, processing circuitry, and the switch are arranged.

9 . A method of controlling an aerosol delivery device comprising a housing and a power source arranged in the housing and configured to provide an output voltage usable by the aerosol delivery device, the method comprising:
forming an electrical connection between the power source and a circuit and an element arranged to perform a function of the aerosol delivery device; measuring properties of the circuit of the aerosol delivery device including a first voltage; outputting a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal including a first pulse of known current, based at least on the measured properties of the circuit, to cause the output voltage to be switchably connected and disconnected to the circuit to perform the function of the aerosol delivery device; outputting the PWM signal to a switch arranged in the housing and coupled between the power source and the circuit to cause the switch to connect and disconnect the power source to the circuit to thereby connect the output voltage to the circuit, wherein the function of the aerosol delivery device is to produce an aerosol using the circuit; wherein during a period in which the PWM signal is absent and the output voltage is disconnected, outputting a second pulse of the known current to the element; measuring a second voltage across the element; calculating a nominal resistance of the element based on the known current and the second voltage; calculating a nominal temperature of the element based on the nominal resistance; and calculating the temperature of the element further based on the nominal temperature.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the PWM signal includes pulses over which the output voltage to the circuit is connected, and between which the output voltage to the circuit is disconnected.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the element comprises a heating element that has a resistance which is variable and proportional to a temperature of the heating element, and wherein measuring the properties of the circuit includes measuring the first voltage across the heating element, and wherein the function of the aerosol delivery device is to produce an aerosol using the heating element.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
outputting the first pulse of known current to the heating element, measuring the first voltage across the heating element, between adjacent pulses of the PWM signal, calculating the resistance of the heating element based on the known current and the voltage, calculating the temperature of the heating element based on the resistance, and adjusting a duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature deviates from a predetermined target by increasing or decreasing the duty cycle of the PWM signal when the temperature is respectively below or above the predetermined target.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first pulse of known current that is output to the heating element causes the voltage across the heating element to be produced, and the known current is selected such that the voltage is less than one-half the output voltage provided by the power source.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the heating element is arranged in the housing.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the heating element is arranged in a housing separate from the housing in which the power source, processing circuitry, and the switch are arranged.

16 . An aerosol delivery device comprising:
a housing; a power source arranged in the housing and configured to provide an output voltage usable by the aerosol delivery device; processing circuitry arranged in the housing and powerable by the power source and configured to:
calculate a quantity of heat at a circuit of the aerosol delivery de

Assignees

• Rai Strategic Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Novak Iii Charles Jacob
• Daugherty Sean A
• Galloway Michael Ryan
• Wood Jason L
• Frisbee Mark
• Lamb Wilson Christopher
• Henry Jr Raymond Charles
• Findikli Nadi

Classifications

• H02J7/975

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• G05B11/28

  using pulse-height modulation; using pulse-width modulation · CPC title

• A24F40/57 Primary

  Temperature control · CPC title

• H03K7/08

  Duration or width modulation {; Duty cycle modulation} · CPC title

• H05B1/0297

  Heating of fluids for non specified applications · CPC title