Aerosol-generating article having a liquid indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017340010-A1
Application number	US-201715606096-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2017
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

First claim

1 . An aerosol-generating article comprising:
a storage portion configured to contain an aerosol-forming substrate; and a hydrochromic material on the storage portion, the hydrochromic material configured to exhibit a first colour when in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate and to exhibit a second colour in an absence of the aerosol-forming substrate.

2 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a base layer, wherein the storage portion includes a porous material on the base layer, and the aerosol-forming substrate is a liquid that is sorbed into the porous material.

3 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 2 , wherein the hydrochromic material is on an outer surface of the porous material.

4 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the storage portion includes a storage container configured to contain a liquid as the aerosol-forming substrate, and the hydrochromic material is on an internal surface of the storage container.

5 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 4 , wherein the storage container defines an outlet configured for delivery of the aerosol-forming substrate from the storage container.

6 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a transport element extending through the outlet, the transport element having a first end positioned within the storage container.

7 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an aerosol-generating element configured for aerosolizing the aerosol-forming substrate.

8 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 7 , wherein the aerosol-generating element includes an electric heater.

9 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming substrate includes water.

10 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming substrate includes nicotine.

11 . An aerosol-generating system comprising:
the aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 ; an aerosol-generating element configured to aerosolize the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article; and an aerosol-generating device including an electrical power supply and a controller, the controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply to the aerosol-generating element, the hydrochromic material of the aerosol-generating article being visible from an exterior of the aerosol-generating system.

12 . The aerosol-generating system according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the aerosol-generating article and the aerosol-generating device includes a translucent portion or a transparent portion overlying the hydrochromic material.

13 . An aerosol-generating device configured for combination with an aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating device comprising:
an electrical power supply; an electronic photosensor configured to sense an optical property of a portion of the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is combined with the aerosol-generating device; and a controller configured to monitor a value of the sensed optical property when the aerosol-generating device is operated in combination with the aerosol-generating article, the controller configured to permit a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply when the value of the sensed optical property is within a first range, the controller configured to prevent a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply when the value of the sensed optical property is outside the first range.

14 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
an aerosol-generating element.

15 . An aerosol-generating system comprising:
the aerosol-generating device according to claim 13 ; and the aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article including a storage portion and a hydrochromic material on the storage portion, the storage portion configured to contain an aerosol-forming substrate, the hydrochromic material configured to exhibit a first colour when in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate and to exhibit a second colour in an absence of the aerosol-forming substrate.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Bilat Stephane
• Colotte Guillaume

Classifications

• H05B2203/014

  Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54 · CPC title

• H05B2203/022

  Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material · CPC title

• H05B2203/032

  Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating · CPC title

• A24F40/42

  Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors · CPC title

• H05B2203/021

  Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids · CPC title