Aerosol-generating devices with filled hinges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026053191-A1
Application number	US-202519257823-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2025
Priority date	Aug 20, 2024
Publication date	Feb 26, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device includes an aerosol generator, a housing exposing an upper portion of the aerosol generator, a lid, and a filled hinge fixedly coupling the lid to the aerosol generator independently of the housing. The filled hinge defines an axis of rotation crossing a central longitudinal axis of the aerosol generator. The filled hinge includes a hinge knuckle including two knuckle structures spaced apart from each other along the axis of rotation to at least partially define opposite axial ends of a central cavity therebetween, a hinge dowel pin coupled between the two knuckle structures and extending along the axis of rotation between the two knuckle structures, and a torsion spring configured to at least contact the lid, the torsion spring including a spring coil surrounding at least a portion of the hinge dowel pin between the two knuckle structures within the central cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol based on heating of an aerosol-forming substrate; a housing enclosing a lower portion of the aerosol generator and exposing an upper portion of the aerosol generator; a lid; and a filled hinge fixedly coupling the lid to the aerosol generator independently of the housing, the filled hinge defining an axis of rotation between the aerosol generator and the lid, the axis of rotation crossing a central longitudinal axis of the aerosol generator, the filled hinge including
a hinge knuckle including two knuckle structures spaced apart from each other along the axis of rotation to at least partially define opposite axial ends of a central cavity between the two knuckle structures along the axis of rotation,
a hinge dowel pin coupled between the two knuckle structures, the hinge dowel pin extending along the axis of rotation through the central cavity between the two knuckle structures, and
a torsion spring configured to at least contact the lid, the torsion spring including a spring coil, the spring coil surrounding at least a portion of the hinge dowel pin between the two knuckle structures within the central cavity.

2 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating device is a heated tobacco aerosol-generating device, and the aerosol generator is configured to generate the aerosol based on non-combustion heating of the aerosol-forming substrate.

3 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the hinge knuckle further includes
a first cover at least partially defining a first vertical end of the central cavity that extends at least partially between the opposite axial ends of the central cavity, the first cover overlapping a first coil section of the spring coil in a vertical direction, the vertical direction extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation and paraxial to the central longitudinal axis of the aerosol generator.

4 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 3 , wherein
the first cover at least partially defines a groove extending in a direction extending toward the central longitudinal axis and crossing the central longitudinal axis, such that the groove exposes a portion of the central cavity in the vertical direction.

5 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 3 , wherein the hinge knuckle further includes
a second cover at least partially defining a second vertical end of the central cavity that extends at least partially between the opposite axial ends of the central cavity, the second vertical end opposite to the first vertical end in the vertical direction, the second cover at least partially overlapping the spring coil in the vertical direction.

6 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 5 , wherein
the first cover is an upper cover and the second cover is a lower cover, such that the lower cover is configured to be between the upper cover and a lowermost end of the aerosol-generating device in the vertical direction.

7 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein
the hinge knuckle includes one or more inner surfaces at least partially defining a slot extending from the central cavity to a latch structure, and the torsion spring includes
a first leg extending from one end of the spring coil to at least contact the lid, and
a second leg extending from an opposite end of the spring coil and further extending through at least a portion of the slot to engage the latch structure.

8 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 7 , wherein the hinge knuckle defines the latch structure.

9 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the two knuckle structures are defined by separate, respective portions of a single unitary piece of material, the single unitary piece of material further defining at least a portion of the aerosol generator.

10 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein
the two knuckle structures define separate, respective pin holes that are each coaxial with the axis of rotation, and the hinge dowel pin extends through both the central cavity and at least a portion of each of the separate, respective pin holes of the two knuckle structures.

11 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol based on heating of an aerosol-forming substrate; a housing enclosing a lower portion of the aerosol generator and exposing an upper portion of the aerosol generator; a lid; and a filled hinge fixedly coupling the lid to the aerosol generator independently of the housing, the filled hinge configured to enable the lid to pivot around an axis of rotation between
a closed position wherein the lid at least partially covers both the upper portion of the aerosol generator and the filled hinge in at least a vertical direction extending parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the aerosol generator, and
an open position wherein the lid exposes the upper portion of the aerosol generator to an external environment in at least the vertical direction,
wherein the filled hinge includes
a hinge dowel pin extending along the axis of rotation,
a hinge knuckle including two knuckle structures supporting the hinge dowel pin at each of opposite end portions of the hinge dowel pin, the two knuckle structures further at least partially defining opposite axial ends of a central cavity between the two knuckle structures along the axis of rotation, and
a torsion spring configured to at least contact the lid, the torsion spring including a spring coil, the spring coil surrounding at least a portion of the hinge dowel pin between the two knuckle structures within the central cavity.

12 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 11 , wherein the aerosol-generating device is a heated tobacco aerosol-generating device, and the aerosol generator is configured to generate the aerosol based on non-combustion heating of the aerosol-forming substrate.

13 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 11 , wherein
the vertical direction includes at least a first vertical direction, the first vertical direction extending toward the axis of rotation, and the hinge knuckle further includes a first cover configured to at least partially shield the spring coil within the central cavity in at least the first vertical direction.

14 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 13 , wherein
the filled hinge is configured to enable the lid to pivot around the axis of rotation such that at least a portion of the torsion spring moves azimuthally in relation to the axis of rotation from an open-lid position to a closed-lid position, the open-lid position azimuthally offset from the first cover, the closed-lid position at least partially overlapping the first cover in an axial direction that is paraxial to the axis of rotation.

15 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 13 , wherein
the vertical direction includes a second vertical direction, the second vertical direction extending toward the axis of rotation, the second vertical direction extending opposite to the first vertical direction, and the hinge knuckle further includes a second cover configured to at least partially shield the spring coil within the central cavity in at least the second vertical direction.

16 . The aerosol-generating device of claim 15 , wherein
the first cover is an upper cover and the second cover is a lower cover, such that the upper cover is configured to be between the lower cover and a lowermost end of the aerosol-generating device.

17

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• De Roeck Oliver
• Hourmand Yannick
• Smith Jeremy
• Blackmon Zack W

Classifications

• A24F40/51

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F40/95

  structurally associated with cases · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/20

  Devices using solid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/40 Primary

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