Control body for an electronic smoking article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024090585-A1
Application number	US-202318523264-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 29, 2023
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a control body adapted for use in an electronic smoking article. The control body includes a shell and a coupler that is adapted to connect the control body to a cartridge of an electronic smoking article. The coupler further is adapted to communicate a pressure reduction within the coupler to a pressure reduction space in the shell. Also positioned within the shell is an electronic circuit board having a pressure sensor attached thereto. The electronic circuit board can be positioned to be parallel to a central axis of the shell. A first end of the pressure sensor can be isolated within the pressure reduction space, and a second end of the pressure sensor can be in communication with a normal pressure space within the shell. One or more light emitting diodes can be attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive so that light from the LED is visible through the coupler.

First claim

1 .- 24 . (canceled)

25 . A control body for an electronic smoking article, the control body comprising:
an elongated shell with an interior, a proximal end, and an opposing distal end; a coupler having a body end in engagement with the proximal end of the shell and having an opposing connector end configured to engage a cartridge; an electrical power source; an electronic circuit board positioned within the shell interior; and at least one pressure sensor attached to the electronic circuit board, wherein the shell interior includes a normal pressure space and a pressure reduction space, and wherein the electronic circuit board includes a microprocessor, the microprocessor being arranged to establish electrical current flow from the electrical power source when the pressure sensor detects a reduced pressure in the pressure reduction space relative to the pressure in the normal pressure space.

26 . The control body of claim 25 , wherein the body end includes a wall and the connector end has a central opening therethrough.

27 . The control body of claim 26 , wherein the coupler comprises an air inlet channel in fluid communication with the central opening.

28 . The control body of claim 27 , wherein the coupler comprises a pressure channel extending between a first end in fluid communication with a cavity defined proximate the connector end of the coupler and a second end that opens through the wall at the body end of the coupler to be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space.

29 . The control body of claim 25 , wherein the shell has a central axis therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the electronic circuit board is oriented substantially parallel to the central axis of the shell.

30 . The control body of claim 25 , wherein the opposing connector end is configured to releasably engage the cartridge.

31 . The control body of claim 25 , wherein the pressure reduction space is isolated from the normal pressure space.

32 . The control body of claim 25 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor comprises a sensor arranged in the pressure reduction space and isolated from the normal pressure space and a sensor in fluid communication with the normal pressure space.

33 . The control body of claim 27 , wherein the air inlet channel is formed entirely within the coupler.

34 . The control body according to claim 33 , further comprising an air inlet aperture defined in an exterior surface of the coupler in fluid communication with the air inlet channel.

35 . The control body according to claim 34 , further comprising an ambient air flow pathway extending from the exterior surface of the coupler, through a body of the coupler, and through the central opening.

36 . The control body according to claim 25 , comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) attached to the electronic circuit board.

37 . The control body according to claim 36 , wherein at least a portion of the coupler is light transmissive such that light from the LED is visible through the coupler.

38 . The control body according to claim 36 , wherein the electronic circuit board comprises a control circuit configured to cause the at least one LED to emit a defined lighting signal that corresponds to a status of the electronic smoking article.

39 . The control body according to claim 38 , further comprising an input element, and wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the at least one LED to emit the defined lighting signal in response to an input from the input element.

40 . The control body according to claim 39 , wherein the input element is at least partially light transmissive.

41 . The control body according to claim 25 , wherein the electronic circuit board is positioned between the electrical power source and the coupler.

42 . An electronic smoking article comprising a control body according to claim 25 and a cartridge comprising an aerosol precursor composition and a heater adapted to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition.

Assignees

• Rai Strategic Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Worm Steven L
• Galloway Michael Ryan
• Ampolini Frederic Philippe
• Mcknight Randy Lee
• Christopherson David Glen

Classifications

• A24F40/53

  Monitoring, e.g. fault detection · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/51 Primary

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F40/40 Primary

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

• A24F40/50 Primary

  Control or monitoring · CPC title