JP2024539023A - Aerosol Delivery System - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol delivery system 300 for generating an aerosol, the system 300 comprising a feedback unit 200 for providing feedback F to a user 400 of the aerosol delivery system 300. The feedback unit 200 is configured to provide feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated an aerosol in an operational mode, and is further configured not to provide feedback F while the aerosol delivery system is generating an aerosol in an operational mode. In this manner, the feedback F can be delivered at an appropriate time such that the user 400 can clearly see the feedback F after the user 400 has finished operating the aerosol delivery system 300, for example, when an aerosol delivery device from the aerosol delivery system 300 is not in the user's mouth.
[Selected Figure] Figure 8C

Description

Field

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as, but not limited to, nicotine delivery systems (e.g., electronic cigarettes).

background

Electronic aerosol delivery systems often employ electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or, more generally, aerosol delivery devices. Such aerosol delivery systems typically include a reservoir of aerosolizable material (also called aerosol generating material), e.g., a fluid or liquid reservoir containing a formulation, typically, but not necessarily, containing nicotine, or a solid material, e.g., a tobacco-based product, from which a vapor/aerosol is generated, e.g., by thermal vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol delivery system typically comprises a vaporizer (also called aerosol generator), e.g., a heating element, arranged to aerosolize a portion of the aerosolizable material to generate a vapor.

Once the vapor is generated, it may be passed through a flavoring material to add flavor to the vapor (if the aerosolizable material is not itself flavored), and the (flavored) vapor may then be delivered from the aerosol delivery system to the user via the mouthpiece.

A potential shortcoming of some existing aerosol delivery systems and related aerosol delivery devices relates to the inability to provide adequate feedback to a user in a manner that is transparent to the user. Accordingly, various approaches are described herein that attempt to help address or mitigate some of these issues by using a feedback portion that can provide user feedback at a time after the aerosol delivery system has produced aerosol in an operational mode, rather than while the aerosol delivery system is producing aerosol in an operational mode.

overview

According to a first aspect of an embodiment, there is provided an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the aerosol delivery system comprising:
A feedback unit for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system, the feedback unit being configured to provide the feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in the operational mode, and further configured not to provide feedback while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in the operational mode.

According to a second aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the method comprising:
The method includes using the feedback unit to provide feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in the operational mode, but not while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in the operational mode.

It will be understood that the features and aspects of the invention described above for the various aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention and may be combined with embodiments of the invention, if desired, in accordance with other aspects of the invention, and not just in the specific combinations described herein.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aerosol delivery system including a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device (shown separately) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the cartridge components of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2A-2C are various schematic cross-sectional views of a housing portion of a cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is another of various schematic cross-sectional views of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is yet another of various schematic cross-sectional views of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a septum element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a septum element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is another perspective view showing a schematic of the elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is a schematic plan view of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2 is a schematic plan view of a bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 1-6B and includes a feedback portion configured to provide feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in an operational mode, but not provide feedback while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in the operational mode, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol delivery system and a feedback portion at a first time when the aerosol delivery system is in an operational mode generating aerosol according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 8B is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 8A at a second time point after the aerosol delivery system generates an aerosol in an operational mode, the second time point corresponding to the time point at which the feedback section is providing feedback, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 8A at a third time after the second time after the aerosol delivery system has generated an aerosol in an operational mode, the third time corresponding to a time at which the feedback section is providing feedback, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 8A at a fourth time after the third time after the aerosol delivery system has generated an aerosol in an operational mode, the fourth time corresponding to a time when the feedback section is no longer providing feedback, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented in a conventional manner and, for the sake of brevity, will not be discussed/described in detail. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the devices and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to non-combustible aerosol delivery systems (such as e-cigarettes). According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is one that does not burn or incinerate the aerosolizable components of the aerosol delivery system (or components thereof) to facilitate delivery to a user. An aerosolizable material, which may also be referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material or an aerosol precursor material, is a material that is capable of generating an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or energized in some other manner. An aerosolizable material may also be flavored in some embodiments.

Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, with the understanding that the terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery systems. Note that electronic cigarettes are also known as vaping devices or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), although the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not a requirement.

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system is a hybrid device configured to generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosolizable materials, one or more of which may be heated. In some embodiments, the hybrid device includes a liquid or gel aerosolizable material and a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

Typically, a (non-flammable) aerosol delivery system may comprise a cartridge/consumable part and a body/reusable/aerosol delivery device part configured to releasably engage with the cartridge/consumable part.

The aerosol delivery system may be provided with means for providing power to a vaporizer therein, and may be provided with an aerosolizable material transfer element for receiving the aerosolizable material to be vaporized. The aerosol delivery system may also include a reservoir for containing the aerosolizable material, and in some embodiments, a further reservoir for containing a flavoring material for flavoring the vapor generated from the aerosol delivery system.

In some embodiments, the vaporizer can be a heater/heating element that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosolizable material to form a vapor/aerosol. In some embodiments, the vaporizer can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat. For example, the vaporizer can generate a vapor/aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat, e.g., via one or more of vibrational, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosolizable material that may include an active ingredient, a carrier component, and optionally one or more other functional ingredients.

The active ingredient may include one or more physiologically and/or olfactory active ingredients included in the aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological and/or olfactory response in the user. The active ingredient may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active ingredient may be naturally occurring or synthetically derived. The active ingredient may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient may include components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco or another plant. In some embodiments, the active ingredient is a physiologically active ingredient and may be selected from nicotine, nicotine salts (e.g., nicotine tartrate/nicotine tartrate), nicotine-free tobacco substitutes, other alkaloids such as caffeine, or mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient is an olfactory active ingredient and may be selected from "flavors" and/or "flavorings" and may be used, where local regulations permit, to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory sensation in products for adult consumers. In some examples, such ingredients may be referred to as flavors, flavorings, flavoring materials, cooling agents, heating agents, and/or sweetening agents. These may be naturally occurring flavoring materials, botanical substances, extracts of botanical substances, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime). , tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascara, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine Ming, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, pimenta, ginger, coffee, hemp, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pimento, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugar and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. These may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients or mixtures thereof. These may be in any suitable form, for example a liquid such as an oil, a solid such as a powder, or a gas, one or more extracts (e.g. liquorice, hydrangea, osmanthus, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey extract, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, Caraway, konjac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, pimento, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee or mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugar and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. These may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or mixtures thereof. They may be in any suitable form, e.g., oil, liquid, or powder.

In some embodiments, the flavoring materials (flavorings) may include menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavorings include cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or red berry flavorings. In some embodiments, the flavorings include eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavorings include flavorings extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavorings may include sensates intended to achieve somatosensory sensations that are typically chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the smell and taste nerves, and these may include agents that produce heating, cooling, tingling, and numbing effects. A suitable heating agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

The carrier component may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the carrier component may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

The one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and/or an antioxidant.

As mentioned above, aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) may often comprise modular assemblies that include both reusable parts (main body or aerosol delivery device) and replaceable consumables (cartridges). Devices that conform to this type of two-part modular configuration may be generally referred to as two-part devices. It is also common for electronic cigarettes to have an elongated shape. To provide a concrete example, certain embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may comprise this type of generally elongated two-part device that uses consumable parts. However, it will be understood that the basic principles described herein may be equally employed in other e-cigarette configurations, e.g., modular devices with three or more parts, as devices conforming to other overall shapes, e.g., based on so-called box-mod high-performance devices that typically have a more box-like shape.

From the above and with reference to FIG. 1, therefore, there is shown a schematic perspective view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system (e-cigarette) 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Terms relating to the relative orientation of various aspects of the e-cigarette (e.g., terms such as upper, lower, above, below, top, bottom, etc.) are used herein with reference to the orientation of the e-cigarette as shown in FIG. 1 (unless the context indicates otherwise). However, it will be understood that this is purely for ease of explanation and is not intended to indicate that there is any necessary orientation of the e-cigarette in use.

The e-cigarette 1 (aerosol delivery system 1) comprises two main components: a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4. The aerosol delivery device 4 and the cartridge 2 are shown separately in FIG. 1 but are coupled together in use.

The cartridge 2 and the aerosol delivery device 4 are coupled by establishing a mechanical and electrical connection between them. The particular method of establishing the mechanical and electrical connection is not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may be established according to conventional techniques, for example based on a screw-type, bayonet-type, latch-type or friction-fit mechanical fastening, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts/electrodes to establish an electrical connection between the two parts as required. For example, in the electronic cigarette 1 shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge includes a mouthpiece 33, a mouthpiece end 52 and an interface end 54, and is coupled to the aerosol delivery device by inserting an interface end portion 6 at the interface end of the cartridge into a corresponding receptacle 8/receiving section of the aerosol delivery device. The interface end portion 6 of the cartridge is in close fit with the receptacle 8 and includes a protrusion 56 that engages with a corresponding detent on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 forming the receptacle 8 to provide a releasable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. An electrical connection is established between the aerosol delivery device and the cartridge via a pair of electrical contacts (not shown in FIG. 1) at the bottom of the cartridge and corresponding spring-loaded contact pins (not shown in FIG. 1) at the base of the receptacle 8. As noted above, the particular method of establishing the electrical connection is not critical to the principles described herein, and in fact some implementations may not have any electrical connection between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device at all, for example because the transfer of power from the reusable component to the cartridge may be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction technology).

The electronic cigarette 1 (aerosol delivery system) has a generally elongated shape extending along a longitudinal axis L. When the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device, the overall length (along the longitudinal axis) of the electronic cigarette in this example is about 12.5 cm. The overall length of the aerosol delivery device is about 9 cm, and the overall length of the cartridge is about 5 cm (i.e., when they are coupled together, there is about 1.5 cm of overlap between the interface end portion 6 of the cartridge and the receptacle 8 of the aerosol delivery device). The cross section of the electronic cigarette is generally oval, being largest near the center of the electronic cigarette and curving and tapering toward both ends. The cross section near the center of the electronic cigarette is about 2.5 cm wide and about 1.7 cm thick. The end of the cartridge has a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 0.6 mm, while the other end of the electronic cigarette has a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 1.2 cm. The outer housing of the electronic cigarette is formed from plastic in this example. It will be understood that the particular size and shape of the electronic cigarette and the materials from which it is made are not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may vary in different implementations; that is, the principles described herein may be equally employed in electronic cigarettes having various sizes, shapes, and/or materials.

The aerosol delivery device 4 may be generally conventional in terms of its functionality and general construction techniques according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 1, the aerosol delivery device 4 comprises a plastic outer housing 10 including receptacle walls 12 forming a receptacle 8 for receiving an end of a cartridge as described above. The outer housing 10 of the aerosol delivery device 4 in this example has a generally oval cross-section that matches the shape and size of the cartridge 2 at their interface to allow a smooth transition between the two parts. The receptacle 8 and end portion 6 of the cartridge 2 are symmetrical when rotated 180 degrees, so that the cartridge can be inserted into the aerosol delivery device in two different orientations. The receptacle walls 12 comprise two aerosol delivery device air inlet openings 14 (i.e., holes in the wall). These openings 14 are positioned to align with the air inlet 50 for the cartridge when the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device. Different ones of the openings 14 align with the air inlet 50 of the cartridge in different orientations. It will be appreciated that some implementations may not have a degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in only one orientation, while other implementations may have a higher degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in more orientations.

The aerosol delivery device further includes a battery 16 for providing operating power to the e-cigarette, a control circuit 18 for controlling and monitoring operation of the e-cigarette, a user input button 20, an indicator light 22, and a charging port 24.

The battery 16 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, for example of the type typically used in e-cigarettes and other applications requiring a relatively large current supply for a relatively short period of time. The battery 16 may be recharged via a charging port 24, which may include, for example, a USB connector.

The input button 20 in this example is a conventional mechanical button that includes a spring-loaded component that may, for example, establish electrical contact in an underlying circuit when pressed by a user. In this regard, the input button may be considered an input device for detecting user input, for example, to trigger aerosol generation, and the particular method for implementing the button is not critical. For example, other forms of mechanical buttons (based on capacitive or optical sensing technology) or contact-sensitive buttons may be used in other implementations, or a button may not be present and the device may rely on a smoke detector to trigger aerosol generation.

Indicator lights 22 are provided to give the user a visual indication of various features associated with the electronic cigarette, such as an indication of an operating state (e.g., on/off/standby) or other features, such as battery life or a fault condition. The various features may be indicated, for example, by different colors and/or different flashing sequences, generally in accordance with the prior art.

The control circuit 18 is suitably configured/programmed to control the operation of the e-cigarette to provide conventional operating functions consistent with established techniques for controlling e-cigarettes. The control circuit (processor circuit) 18 can be considered to logically comprise various subunits/circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of the e-cigarette. For example, depending on the functionality provided in different implementations, the control circuit 18 may comprise a power control circuit for controlling the supply of power from the battery/power source to the cartridge in response to user input, a user programming circuit for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, and other functional unit/circuit related functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and normal operating aspects of an e-cigarette, such as an indicator light display driver circuit and a user input detection circuit. It will be appreciated that the functionality of the control circuit 18 can be provided in a variety of different ways, such as, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computers and/or one or more suitably configured application specific integrated circuits/circuits/chips/chipsets configured to provide the desired functionality.

Figure 2 is an exploded schematic perspective view of cartridge 2 (exploded along longitudinal axis L). Cartridge 2 includes housing portion 32, air channel seal 34, septum element 36, outlet tube 38, vaporizer/heating element 40, aerosolizable material transfer element 42, plug 44, and end cap 48 having contact electrode 46. Figures 3-6 show some of these components in schematic form in more detail.

Figure 3A is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L, where housing portion 32 is at its thinnest. Figure 3B is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L, where housing portion 32 is at its widest. Figure 3C is a schematic view of the housing portion from interface end 54 along longitudinal axis L (i.e., viewed from below in the orientation of Figures 3A and 3B).

Figure 4A is a schematic perspective view of the bulkhead element 36 as viewed from below. Figure 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the bulkhead element 36 as viewed from below.

5A is a schematic perspective view of the plug 44 from above, and FIG. 5B is a schematic perspective view of the plug 44 from below. FIG. 5C is a schematic view of the plug 44 along the longitudinal axis L as viewed from the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge (i.e., as viewed from above in the orientation of FIGS. 1 and 2).

Figure 6A is a schematic perspective view of the end cap 48 from above. Figure 6B is a schematic view of the end cap 48 along the longitudinal axis L as viewed from the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge (i.e., from above).

The housing portion 32 in this example includes an outer housing wall 64 and an inner housing tube 62, which in this example are formed from a single molding of polypropylene. The outer housing wall 64 forms the exterior of the cartridge 2, and the inner housing tube 62 forms part of the air channel through the cartridge. The housing portion is open at the interface end 54 of the cartridge and closed at the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge, except for a mouthpiece opening/aerosol outlet 60 from the mouthpiece 33, which is in fluid communication with the inner housing tube 62. The housing portion 32 includes an opening in a side wall that provides an air inlet 50 for the cartridge. The air inlet 50 in this example has an area of about ² mm2. The exterior surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes the projections 56 discussed above, which engage corresponding detents on the interior surface of the receptacle wall 12 forming the receptacle 8 to provide a releasable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. The inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion further includes projections 66 which, when the cartridge is assembled, act as abutment stops for locating the septum element 36 along the longitudinal axis L. The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 further includes holes which define latch recesses 68 arranged to receive corresponding latch projections 70 on the end caps which are secured to the housing portion when the cartridge is assembled.

The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes a double-walled section 74 that forms a gap 76 that is in fluid communication with the air inlet 50. The gap 76 forms a portion of an air channel through the cartridge. In this example, the double-walled section 74 of the housing portion 32 is positioned such that the gap forms an air channel through the housing outer wall 64 parallel to the longitudinal axis and has a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of approximately 3 ^mm2 . The gap/portion of the air channel 76 formed by the double-walled section of the housing portion extends down to the open end of the housing portion 32.

The air channel seal 34 is a silicone molding of generally tubular configuration having a through hole 80. The outer wall of the air channel seal 34 includes a peripheral ridge 84 and an upper collar 82. The inner wall of the air channel seal 34 also includes peripheral ridges, which are not visible in FIG. 2. When the cartridge is assembled, the air channel seal 34 is attached to the inner housing tube 62 with the end of the inner housing tube 62 extending partially into the through hole 80 of the air channel seal 34. The through hole 80 of the air channel seal has a diameter of about 5.8 mm in its relaxed state, while the end of the inner housing tube 62 has a diameter of about 6.2 mm, so that a seal is formed when the air channel seal 34 stretches to accommodate the inner housing tube 62. This seal is facilitated by the ridges on the inner surface of the air channel seal 34.

The outlet tube 38 comprises a tubular section made, for example, of ANSI 304 stainless steel or polypropylene, with an inside diameter of about 8.6 mm and a wall thickness of about 0.2 mm. The bottom end of the outlet tube 38 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 88, each with a semicircular recess 90 at the end. When the cartridge is assembled, the outlet tube 38 is attached to the outer surface of the air channel seal 34. The outer diameter of the air channel seal is about 9.0 mm in a relaxed state, thereby forming a seal when the air channel seal 34 is compressed to fit inside the outlet tube 38. This seal is facilitated by a ridge 84 on the outer surface of the air channel seal 34. A collar 80 on the air channel seal 34 provides a stop for the outlet tube 38.

The aerosolizable material transfer element 42 includes a capillary wick, and the vaporizer (aerosol generator) 40 includes a resistance wire heater wound around the capillary wick. In addition to the portion of resistance wire wound around the capillary wick, the vaporizer includes a lead 41 that passes through a hole in the plug 44 and contacts an electrode 46 attached to the end cap 54, allowing power to be supplied to the vaporizer via an electrical interface established when the cartridge is connected to an aerosol delivery device. The vaporizer lead 41 may include the same material as the resistance wire wound around the capillary wick, or may include a different material (e.g., a low resistance material) connected to the resistance wire wound around the capillary wick. In this example, the heater coil 40 includes nickel-iron alloy wire, and the wick 42 includes fiberglass bundles. The vaporizer and the aerosolizable material transfer element may be provided according to any conventional technique and may include various forms and/or various materials. For example, in some implementations, the wick may include a fibrous or solid ceramic material, and the heater may include a different alloy. In other examples, the heater and wick may be combined, for example, in the form of a porous material and a resistive material. More generally, it will be understood that the particular nature of the aerosolizable material transfer element and vaporizer is not of primary importance to the principles described herein.

When the cartridge is assembled, the wick 42 is received in a semicircular recess 90 in the outlet tube 38 so that a central portion of the wick around which the heating coil is wound is located inside the outlet tube while an end portion of the wick is located outside the outlet tube 38.

The plug 44 in this example is made of a single molded piece of silicone and can be resilient. The plug includes a base portion 100 with an outer wall 102 extending upwardly therefrom (i.e., toward the mouthpiece end of the cartridge). The plug further includes an inner wall 104 extending upwardly from the base portion 100 and surrounding a through hole 106 that extends through the base portion 100.

An outer wall 102 of the plug 44 conforms to the inner surface of the housing portion 32 such that the plug 44 forms a seal with the housing portion 32 when the cartridge is assembled. An inner wall 104 of the plug 44 conforms to the inner surface of the outlet tube 38 such that the plug 44 also forms a seal with the outlet tube 38 when the cartridge is assembled. The inner wall 104 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 108, the end of each slot having a semicircular recess 110. A cradle section 112 extending outwardly (i.e., away from the longitudinal axis of the cartridge) from the bottom of each slot of the inner wall 104 is shaped to receive a section of the transfer element 42 of the aerosolizable material when the cartridge is assembled. The slot 108 and semicircular recess 110 provided by the inner wall of the plug 44 are aligned with the slot 88 and semicircular recess 90 of the outlet tube 38, so that the slot 88 of the outlet tube 38 receives a respective one of the cradles 112, and the respective semicircular recesses of the outlet tube and the plug cooperate to form an aperture through which the transfer element of the aerosolizable material passes. The size of the aperture formed by the semicircular recess through which the transfer element of the aerosolizable material passes corresponds closely to the size and shape of the transfer element of the aerosolizable material, but is slightly smaller, and a degree of compression is achieved by the elasticity of the plug 44. This allows the aerosolizable material to be transported along the transfer element of the aerosolizable material by capillary action, while limiting the extent to which aerosolizable material not transported by capillary action can pass through the opening. As mentioned above, the plug 44 includes a further opening 114 in the base portion 100 through which the contact lead 41 for the vaporizer passes when the cartridge is assembled. At the bottom of the base portion of the plug are spacers 116 that maintain the offset between the remaining surface of the bottom of the base portion and the end cap 48. These spacers 116 include openings 114 through which the electrical contact wires 41 for the carburetor pass.

The end cap 48 consists of a polypropylene molding to which a pair of gold-plated copper electrode posts 46 are attached.

The ends of the electrode posts 44 on the bottom side of the end cap are approximately flush with the interface ends 54 of the cartridge on the end cap 48. These are the parts of the electrodes to which correspondingly aligned spring-loaded contacts in the aerosol delivery device 4 connect when the cartridge 2 is assembled and connected to the aerosol delivery device 4. The ends of the electrode posts inside the cartridge extend away from the end cap 48 into the hole 114 of the plug 44 through which the contact lead 41 passes. The electrode posts are slightly oversized relative to the hole 114 and have a chamfered top end to facilitate insertion into the plug hole 114, and are maintained in pressure contact with the vaporizer contact lead by the plug.

The end cap has a base section 124 and an upright wall 120 that fits against the inner surface of the housing part 32. The upright wall 120 of the end cap 48 is inserted into the housing part 32 so that when the cartridge is assembled, the latch projections 70 engage the latch recesses 68 of the housing part 32 to snap the end cap 48 into the housing part. The top of the upright wall 120 of the end cap 48 abuts the peripheral portion of the plug 44 and the lower surface of the spacer 116 on the plug also abuts the base section 124 of the plug, thereby keeping the end cap 48 pressed against the resilient portion 44 and in a slightly compressed state when the end cap 48 is attached to the housing part.

The base portion 124 of the end cap 48 includes a peripheral lip 126 beyond the base of the upstanding wall 112, the thickness of which corresponds to the thickness of the outer wall of the housing portion at the interface end of the cartridge. The end cap also includes an upstanding locating pin 122 that aligns with a corresponding locating hole 128 in the plug to help define their relative positions during assembly.

The septum element 36 is made of a single molding of polypropylene and includes a septum 130 and a collar 132 formed projecting from the septum 130 in a direction toward the interface end of the cartridge. The septum element 36 has a central opening 134 through which the outlet tube 38 passes (i.e., the septum is disposed around the outlet tube 38). In some embodiments, the septum element 36 may be integrally formed with the outlet tube 38. When the cartridge is assembled, the upper surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44 engages the lower surface of the septum 130, which in turn engages the projection 66 on the inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32. The septum 130 thus prevents the plug from being pushed too far into the housing portion 32 - i.e., the septum 130 is fixedly positioned along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge by the projection 66 in the housing portion, thus forming a plug with a fixed surface to press against. The collar 132 formed by the protrusion from the septum includes a first pair of opposing projections/tongues 134 that engage corresponding recesses on the inner surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44. The protrusion from the septum 130 further defines a pair of cradle sections 136 configured to engage a corresponding one of the cradle sections 112 in the portion 44, further defining an opening through which the transfer element of the aerosolizable material passes when the cartridge is assembled.

When the cartridge 2 is assembled, an air channel is formed that extends through the cartridge from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol outlet 60. A first section of the air channel is realized by the gap 76 formed by the double-wall section 74 of the outer wall 64 of the housing part 32 starting from the air inlet 50 in the side wall of the housing part 32 and extending from the air inlet 50 to the interface end 54 of the cartridge and beyond the plug 44. A second portion of the air channel is realized by the gap between the base of the plug 44 and the end cap 48. A third portion of the air channel is realized by a hole 106 through the plug 44. A fourth portion of the air channel is realized by the interior region of the inner wall 104 of the plug and the outlet tube around the vaporizer 40. This fourth portion of the air channel is also called the aerosol region/aerosol generation region, which is the primary region where aerosol is generated during use. The air channel from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol generation region may be called the air inlet section of the air channel. A fifth portion of the air channel is provided by the remaining portion of the outlet tube 38. A sixth portion of the air channel is provided by an outer housing inner tube 62 that connects the air channel to an aerosol outlet 60 located at the end of the mouthpiece 33. The air channel that leads from the aerosol generation region to the aerosol outlet may be referred to as the aerosol outlet section of the air channel.

Also, when the cartridge is assembled, a reservoir 31 for the aerosolizable material is formed by the space outside the air channel and inside the housing portion 32. This may be filled during manufacture, for example, through a fill hole that is later sealed, or by other means. The particular nature of the aerosolizable material, e.g., its composition, is not of primary importance to the principles described herein, and generally any conventional aerosolizable material of the type typically used in electronic cigarettes may be used. The present disclosure may refer to a liquid as the aerosolizable material, which may be a conventional e-liquid, as described above. However, the principles of the present disclosure apply to any aerosolizable material that has the ability to flow, which may include liquids, gels, or solids, and in the case of solids, multiple solid particles may be considered to have the ability to flow when considered as a bulk.

The reservoir is closed at the interface end of the cartridge by a plug 44. The reservoir includes a first region above the septum 130 and a second region below the septum 130 in the space formed between the air channel and the outer wall of the plug. The transfer element (capillary wick) 42 of the aerosolizable material passes through an opening in the wall of the air channel formed by the semicircular recesses 108, 90 of the plug 44 and outlet tube 38 and the cradle sections 112, 136 of the plug 44 and septum element 36, which engage with each other as discussed above. Thus, the end of the transfer element of the aerosolizable material extends into the second region of the reservoir from where it draws the aerosolizable material through the opening of the air channel and into the vaporizer 40 for subsequent vaporization.

In normal use, the cartridge 2 is coupled to the aerosol delivery device 4, which is activated to supply power to the cartridge via the contact electrodes 46 in the end cap 48. Power is then sent to the vaporizer 40 through the connecting conductors 41. The vaporizer is thus electrically heated, which causes a portion of the aerosolizable material to vaporize from the aerosolizable material transport element adjacent to the vaporizer. This generates an aerosol in the aerosol-generating region of the air channel. The aerosolizable material vaporized from the aerosolizable material transport element is replaced by more aerosolizable material drawn from the reservoir by capillary action. While the vaporizer is operating, the user inhales at the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge. This draws air from whichever aerosol delivery device air inlet 14 is aligned with the cartridge air inlet 50 (depending on the orientation in which the cartridge was inserted into the aerosol delivery device receptacle 8). Air then enters the cartridge through the air inlet 50, passes along the gap 76 in the double-walled section 74 of the housing portion 32, passes between the plug 44 and the end cap 48, and then passes through the hole 106 in the base portion 100 of the plug 44 into the aerosol-generating region surrounding the vaporizer 40. The incoming air mixes with the aerosol generated from the vaporizer to form a condensed aerosol that is then drawn along the outlet tube 38 and the inner housing tube 62 before exiting through the mouthpiece outlet/aerosol outlet 60 for the user to inhale.

From Figures 1-6B above, one can see the structure of a possible embodiment of an aerosol delivery system 1 configured to generate an aerosol, which is suitable for use in the context of the present disclosure (potentially together with other forms of aerosol delivery systems).

7-9B, the present disclosure also provides an aerosol delivery system 300 for generating aerosol (which may be based, for example, on aerosol delivery system 1 as shown in FIGS. 1-6B, although other forms of aerosol delivery systems may obviously be used as long as they are capable of generating aerosol), the aerosol delivery system 300 further comprising a feedback section 200 for providing feedback F to a user 400 of the aerosol delivery system 300. At a general level, the feedback section 200 may be configured to provide feedback F after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in an operational mode, and may be further configured not to provide feedback F while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in an operational mode. Thus, in this manner, operational mode feedback F can be provided at an appropriate time after the user has finished operating the system, such as when any aerosol delivery device 4 (and/or any associated cartridge 2, if such a cartridge-type arrangement is used) is less likely to be in the user's mouth, in a manner that makes it less likely that the user 400 will overlook or not see the feedback F, so that the feedback F is immediately visible to the user 400.

As described above, the feedback unit 200 may be configured to provide feedback F at some point after the aerosol delivery system (or aerosol delivery device 4) has generated aerosol in an operational mode (i.e., some point after the situation/position of FIG. 8A), such that feedback F can be provided within a time frame after aerosol has been generated in a predetermined operational mode (as in FIGS. 8B and 8C), but then provide feedback F quickly enough so that feedback F can still be provided while the user 400 is holding the aerosol delivery device in his or her hand, as opposed to the device being returned to a position out of sight of the user 400, such as in the user's 400's bag 401 or pocket (as in FIG. 8D).

Therefore, in view of the above, and to allow for at least a certain amount of time before the user 400 removes the aerosol delivery device from their mouth so that any provided feedback F is immediately apparent to the user 400, according to some embodiments, the feedback unit 200 may be configured to provide (i.e., begin providing) feedback F within 10 seconds, within 8 seconds, within 5 seconds, within 4 seconds, within 3 seconds, within 2 seconds, within 1 second, within 0.8 seconds, within 0.5 seconds, and/or within 0.3 seconds after the aerosol delivery system (or, more specifically, the aerosol delivery device 4) has ceased aerosol generation in the operational mode. By the term terminated herein, this may be interpreted as the point in time at which power is no longer provided from the aerosol delivery system to any provided aerosol generator 40 to generate aerosol in the operational mode, according to some embodiments.

Similarly, to avoid providing feedback F too early after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in the operational mode, to reduce the likelihood of feedback F being provided while any corresponding aerosol delivery device 4 (or its cartridge 2, if such a cartridge is also used) is still in the user's mouth (wherein the user 400 may be more distracted and therefore less able to perceive feedback F from the feedback portion 200, as shown in FIG. 8A), according to some embodiments, the feedback portion 200 may be configured to provide (i.e., begin to provide) feedback 5 seconds or more, 3 seconds or more, 2 seconds or more, 1 second or more, 0.8 seconds or more, and/or 0.5 seconds or more after the aerosol delivery system has finished generating aerosol in the operational mode.

With regard to the duration "d" of any provided feedback F, it will be appreciated that this may be selected to be long enough for the user 400 to best perceive in sufficient detail after the aerosol delivery system has ceased generating aerosol in an operational mode, such as in the situations of Figures 8B and 8C. Thus, in some embodiments, the feedback portion 200 may be configured to provide feedback F for a duration "d" of at least 2 seconds, at least 3 seconds, at least 4 seconds, at least 5 seconds, at least 7 seconds, and/or at least 10 seconds.

Similarly, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system 300 and/or the feedback section 200 may be configured to provide feedback F until the controller 18 of the aerosol delivery system 300 determines that a predetermined event has occurred.

For example, according to some very specific embodiments, the predetermined event may be the actuation of an input button 20 from the aerosol delivery system (or from the aerosol delivery device 4) (e.g., a user 400 actuating the input button 20 to confirm feedback F).

Another very specific embodiment may obviously be a predetermined event where the temperature of the aerosol delivery system 300 (such as the temperature of the aerosol generator 40) no longer exceeds a predetermined temperature. Thus, to the extent that the feedback F may in some specific embodiments include an indication that the aerosol delivery device 4 or the aerosol delivery system 300 has experienced a failure, such as a failure in the form of the aerosol delivery system being determined to be overheated, the feedback F may in such specific embodiments be provided until the time when the temperature no longer exceeds the predetermined temperature.

According to some embodiments, if one adheres to the duration "d" of the feedback F, the feedback F may be configured to be provided for a duration "d" that is not so long as to unduly drain the power source 16 and/or to be uncomfortable or irritating to the user 400 of the aerosol delivery system. Thus, in such an embodiment, the feedback portion 200 may be configured to provide the feedback F for a duration of 30 seconds or less, 25 seconds or less, 20 seconds or less, 15 seconds or less, 10 seconds or less, 8 seconds or less, and/or 5 seconds or less. Obviously, according to some particular embodiments, the feedback F may be configured to be provided for the shorter duration "d" of i) any one of the above durations, or ii) until the controller 18 of the aerosol delivery system 300 determines that a predetermined event has occurred (e.g., the user 400 activates the input button 20 to acknowledge the feedback F) in a hybrid approach. Such a latter hybrid duration "d" may better provide feedback F in a manner that is best perceived by the user 400, yet is not so long as to consume excessive power from the power source 16 and/or may not be considered annoying or irritating to the user 400.

No matter how long the duration "d" of the feedback F may be, once the feedback F has been provided, the user 400 may then consider replacing any aerosol delivery devices from the aerosol delivery system in either the bag 401 or pocket for later reuse as needed, as disclosed in FIG. 8D.

In view of the above, it is envisioned that feedback F may be provided with respect to any desired number of (different) operating modes. In this regard, it should also be appreciated that the feedback F provided after each operating mode may or may not necessarily be the same for each of the different operating modes.

For any given mode of operation, it is contemplated that, according to some embodiments, the feedback F may be configured to provide an indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol delivery system (or aerosol delivery device 4).

As described below, in accordance with some embodiments, it is contemplated that the predetermined characteristic may include a physical parameter (such as, in some particular embodiments, the rate of aerosol generation from the aerosol delivery system while generating aerosol in an operational mode).

Similarly, according to some embodiments, the predetermined characteristics can include chemical parameters (such as the composition of the aerosol generating material vaporized to generate the aerosol in the operational mode).

Similarly, according to some additional/alternative embodiments, the predetermined characteristics can include electrical parameters (e.g., the amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator 40 while generating aerosol in an operational mode).

Turning now to the form of any provided feedback from feedback unit 200, this may take a variety of different forms. For example, any provided feedback may include at least one of visual feedback, audio feedback, and/or haptic feedback. The use of audio or haptic feedback may be particularly useful, particularly for those who are visually impaired.

To implement the above feedback F, as necessary, according to some embodiments, the feedback unit 200 may include any one or combination of optical or visual feedback elements (such as LEDs, light sources, displays, etc.), acoustic elements (such as speakers, etc.), and/or tactile feedback elements (such as vibrators, etc.). Such visual feedback may be particularly useful insofar as once the aerosol delivery system is in an operational mode and generating aerosol, the user may then remove any part of the aerosol delivery system 4 from their lips and then observe the feedback unit 200 (such as any optical or visual feedback element) and may be able to successfully observe the feedback provided by the feedback unit 200 (e.g., as shown in the embodiment associated with FIG. 8C).

With the above in mind, it will be apparent that in some specific embodiments to those described above, any such feedback portion 200, including any potential visual/audio/tactile feedback elements, may be most conveniently located on the aerosol delivery device 4 (which may, according to some embodiments, comprise a cartridge 2/aerosol delivery device 4 type arrangement). However, likewise, according to some other potential embodiments, the feedback portion 200 may not be located on the aerosol delivery device 4 (i.e., in other words, the aerosol delivery device 4 may not comprise the feedback portion 200) and may instead be located elsewhere that may be operable to communicate with the aerosol delivery device 4, for example, as part of the electrical device 250. Thus, in this manner, the electrical device 250 may comprise the feedback portion 200.

As to what such an electrical device 250 may be, it is envisioned that it may comprise any form of electrical device 250 that may be in operative communication with the aerosol delivery system 300 or the aerosol delivery device 4, such as (and of course not limited to) a portable device such as a tablet computer, a smartphone, a portable computer, a smart watch, or a smart device (electrical wrist strap or ankle strap) that may be carried or worn by a user 400 of the aerosol delivery device 4. It will be appreciated that, if desired, the electrical device 250 may be operable to communicate with the aerosol delivery device 4 wirelessly or otherwise via a wireless connection protocol 270. Thus, in this case, it is clear that the electrical device 250 may also comprise a wireless transmitter/receiver/transceiver 252 as required to facilitate any such wireless communication with the aerosol delivery device 4 (which may also comprise a wireless transmitter/receiver/transceiver 97 in communication with the controller 18).

With the above potential forms of feedback F in mind, at a general level, it is envisioned that the feedback F described herein may be configured to indicate many different things. For example, as noted above, feedback F may be configured to provide an indication, according to some embodiments. In more specific embodiments, this indication may include the following items:

i) an indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol delivery system or device 4;
ii) an indication that the aerosol delivery system or device has experienced a failure, including, in very particular embodiments, a failure in which the aerosol delivery device 4 and/or any aerosol generators 40 thereof are determined to be overheated;
iii) an indication that the power source 16 has less than a predetermined amount of remaining power (e.g., in very particular embodiments, less than 5% or less than 10% remaining power);
iv) an indication suggesting replacement or refilling of the cartridge 2, depending on the embodiment in which the cartridge 2/aerosol delivery device 44 arrangement is used;
v) An indication that the amount of aerosol-generating material in at least a portion of the aerosol delivery system (and/or cartridge 2, particularly if such a cartridge 2 is used) is less than a predetermined amount.

Thus, at a general level, it can be appreciated that any provided indication can assist the user 400 in gathering feedback about how the aerosol delivery system performed.

Obviously, to make some of the above-described embodiments more effective, the aerosol delivery system 300 may, in some embodiments, include a controller, such as the control circuit 18 described above. Thus, in such an embodiment, the controller 18 may be configured to determine whether the aerosol delivery system has finished generating aerosol in the operational mode. In response to the controller 18 determining that the aerosol delivery system has finished generating aerosol in the operational mode, the controller 18 may be configured to generate an output signal for the feedback section 200 to provide feedback.

Although not required, according to some embodiments, any provided aerosol delivery system 300 or device 4 may also include a sensor 91 for generating sensor data. In this manner, the controller 18 may then be configured to receive the sensor data from the sensor 91 and use the sensor data to determine an indication of feedback F. In response to the controller 18 determining an indication of feedback F, the controller 18 may then be configured to generate an output signal for the feedback portion 200 to provide feedback F including an indication after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in an operational mode.

As to what such a sensor 91 might be, obviously this may depend on the indication that is intended to be provided as part of the feedback F.

For example, according to some embodiments, the sensor 91 can include a temperature sensor 93, and the sensor data can include a temperature value indicative of a temperature, such as the temperature of a portion of the aerosol delivery system 1 in some embodiments, and the temperature of the aerosol generator 40 in some particular embodiments, as in the embodiment of FIG. 7.

Thus, in such an embodiment, the controller 18 may be configured to use the sensor data to determine whether the temperature value has exceeded a predetermined temperature. In this manner, in response to the controller 18 determining that the temperature value has exceeded the predetermined temperature, the controller 18 may be further configured to generate an output signal for the feedback portion 200 to provide feedback F including an indication after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in an operational mode. Notably, such an indication may include an indication that the aerosol delivery system or aerosol delivery device has experienced a failure and/or overheating, as the case may be.

Another potential use of the feedback F may be to provide an indication of the composition of the aerosol-generating material vaporized to generate the aerosol in the operational mode. Such an application may have advantages in cases where the user 400 may not be familiar with the composition (or flavor) of the vaporized aerosol-generating material. Thus, in this manner, the feedback F provided after the aerosol delivery system has generated an aerosol in the operational mode may, as a result, help the user 400 to better understand which aerosol-generating material has been vaporized. With respect to these embodiments, in some cases, the composition information may be provided directly to the controller 18, for example as part of any connection between the cartridge 2 and the aerosol delivery device 4, but in some embodiments, the composition may be determined using sensor data from a sensor 91, 99 configured to generate sensor data indicative of the composition of the aerosol-generating material from the aerosol delivery system 300. According to some embodiments, the sensor 91, 99 may be configured to be in fluid communication and/or contact with the aerosol generation from the aerosol delivery system 300. Similarly, according to some particular embodiments, any of the dispensing cartridges 2 and/or reservoirs 31 from the aerosol delivery system may thus include any of such dispensing sensors 91, 99, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 7.

Yet another potential application of the feedback F may require, in response to a determination by the controller 18 that the amount of aerosol generating material in at least a portion of the aerosol delivery system (and/or the cartridge 2, particularly if such a cartridge 2 is used) is less than a predetermined amount, feedback F including an indication that the aerosol generating material is low and/or that the cartridge 2 needs to be replaced and/or that a refill of the aerosol generating material is needed, as described above. Thus, for these embodiments, the aerosol delivery system 300 may be configured such that the sensor data from the sensor 91 indicates the amount of aerosol generating material in at least a portion of the aerosol delivery system (or the cartridge 2 according to some narrower embodiments). Thus, in this manner, the controller 18 may be configured to use the sensor data to determine whether the amount of aerosol generating material is less than a predetermined amount. In this manner, in response to determining that the amount of aerosol generating material is less than the predetermined amount, the controller 18 may then be configured to generate an output signal for the feedback portion 200 to provide feedback F including an indication after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in an operational mode. Thus, as a result of this feedback F, when the user 400 has finished operating the aerosol delivery system in the operational mode, the user 400 may perceive feedback to inform them that they are low on aerosol generating material.

[0033] Thus, in view of the above, there has been accordingly described an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the aerosol delivery system comprising:
A feedback unit for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system, the feedback unit being configured to provide feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in the operational mode, and further configured to not provide feedback while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in the operational mode.

Also described is a method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the method comprising:
The method includes using the feedback unit to provide feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in the operational mode, but not while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in the operational mode.

An aerosol delivery system 300 for generating aerosol is also described, the system 300 comprising a feedback section 200 for providing feedback F to a user 400 of the aerosol delivery system 300. The feedback section 200 is configured to provide feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in an operational mode, and is further configured not to provide feedback F while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in an operational mode. In this manner, the feedback F can be delivered at an appropriate time such that the user 400 can immediately and easily see the feedback F, such as after the user 400 has finished operating the aerosol delivery system 300, for example, when the aerosol delivery device from the aerosol delivery system 300 is not in the user's mouth.

To address various problems and advance the art, this disclosure provides, by way of example, various embodiments in which the claimed invention may be practiced. The advantages and features of the disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented solely to aid in understanding and to teach the claimed invention. It is to be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure should not be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments may suitably consist of, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and thus it will be understood that the features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims in combinations other than those expressly set forth in the claims. The disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

For example, with respect to how any providing feedback units 200 (if present) may be powered, it will be understood that each feedback unit 200 may be powered using either the power supply 16 or its own respective power supply (not shown).

Similarly, with regard to the placement of any such feedback unit 200 and/or sensor 91, it will be understood that these locations may be provided anywhere within the aerosol delivery system 300 as required to provide the necessary functionality. This placement may even include locations where the feedback unit 200 and/or sensor 91 are not actually located within the aerosol delivery device 4 (e.g., in a separate electrical device 250 that is attachable to the user 400, such as a strap or some other patch or device that may be secured to the user 400 (releasably, if necessary, e.g., via an adhesive patch)).

Similarly, where the aerosol delivery system includes a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4, the optional delivery feedback portion 200 and/or sensor 91 may be located in either the cartridge 2 or the aerosol delivery device 4, as necessary, to enable the necessary functionality of the feedback portion 200 or sensor 91.

For completeness, it will be understood that with respect to any feedback portion 200 or sensor 91 within the aerosol delivery device or system, any power or signal sent thereto may be provided using either a wired or wireless connection between the control circuitry 18 and the respective feedback portion 200/sensor 91. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 7, for example, a wired connection is provided between the associated feedback portion 200 and/or sensor 91 and the control circuitry 18, which extends through contact electrodes 46 located on each of the aerosol delivery device 4 and cartridge 2 when the components are located within the cartridge 2 across the interface end 54.

Finally, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to a particular number of operating modes, such that the teachings may correspond to any integer number of operating modes (e.g., a number between 1 and 100, for example). In this manner, the feedback portion 200 may be configured to provide the (nth) feedback after the aerosol delivery system has generated aerosol in the (nth) operating mode, and may be further configured to not provide the (nth) feedback while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol in the (nth) operating mode.

It will be appreciated that when multiple operating modes are used, in some embodiments thereof, the feedback F for each operating mode does not necessarily have to be provided simultaneously and/or for the same duration after the aerosol delivery system generates aerosol in the operating mode.

Thus, for example, in some very specific embodiments, one operational mode may have feedback F provided no sooner than 1 second after the aerosol delivery system has ceased generating aerosol in the operational mode and for a duration of no more than 5 seconds, whereas another operational mode in such embodiments and potentially other embodiments may have feedback F provided no sooner than 0.5 seconds after the aerosol delivery system has ceased generating aerosol in the operational mode and for a duration of no more than 10 seconds (e.g., if the feedback F associated with this latter operational mode is deemed more important for the user 400 to see as compared to the feedback F associated with the first operational mode).

It will also be appreciated that when multiple operating modes are used, the level of feedback corresponding to each operating mode may be different. Thus, in other words, according to some embodiments, the feedback F associated with a first operating mode may include a higher level of feedback F than the level of feedback corresponding to another operating mode. With respect to the "level" of feedback F, this may include the amount of feedback (e.g., feedback brightness in the case of visual feedback, or feedback magnitude in the case of acoustic feedback), the magnitude of the feedback (e.g., feedback brightness in the case of visual feedback, or feedback F strength in the case of haptic feedback), or even the prominence of the feedback (e.g., feedback brightness in the case of visual feedback, feedback F strength in the case of haptic feedback, feedback magnitude in the case of acoustic feedback). Obviously, if such a level is used, this could also include an average level or a maximum level according to some narrower embodiments.

It will also be appreciated that when multiple operating modes are used, the level of feedback corresponding to each operating mode may be different. Thus, in other words, according to some embodiments, the feedback F associated with a first operating mode may include a higher level of feedback F than the level of feedback corresponding to another operating mode. With respect to the "level" of feedback F, this may include the amount of feedback (e.g., feedback brightness in the case of visual feedback, or feedback magnitude in the case of acoustic feedback), the magnitude of the feedback (e.g., feedback brightness in the case of visual feedback, or feedback F strength in the case of haptic feedback), or even the prominence of the feedback (e.g., feedback brightness in the case of visual feedback, feedback F strength in the case of haptic feedback, feedback magnitude in the case of acoustic feedback). Obviously, if such a level is used, this could also include an average level or a maximum level according to some narrower embodiments.
The present disclosure includes the following embodiments.
(Embodiment 1)
1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising:
a feedback unit for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system;
An aerosol delivery system, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in an operating mode, and is further configured not to provide the feedback while the aerosol delivery system is generating the aerosol in the operating mode.
(Embodiment 2)
2. The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 1, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback within 5 seconds after the aerosol delivery system finishes generating the aerosol in the operational mode.
(Embodiment 3)
An aerosol delivery system as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 2, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback 1 second or more after the aerosol delivery system finishes generating the aerosol in the operational mode.
(Embodiment 4)
4. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback for a duration of at least 5 seconds.
(Embodiment 5)
5. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback for a duration of 10 seconds or less.
(Embodiment 6)
6. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises a display and the feedback unit comprises the display.
(Embodiment 7)
7. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the feedback comprises visual feedback.
(Embodiment 8)
8. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the feedback comprises tactile feedback.
(Embodiment 9)
9. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the feedback comprises acoustic feedback.
(Embodiment 10)
10. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the feedback is configured to provide an indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol delivery system.
(Embodiment 11)
11. The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 10, wherein the predetermined characteristic comprises an aerosol production rate from the aerosol delivery system while producing the aerosol in the operational mode.
(Embodiment 12)
The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 10 or 11, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises an aerosol generator for generating the aerosol, and the predetermined characteristic includes an amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator while generating the aerosol in the operational mode.
(Embodiment 13)
13. The aerosol delivery system of any one of embodiments 1-12, wherein the feedback includes an indication that the aerosol delivery system has experienced a fault.
(Embodiment 14)
14. The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 13, wherein the fault comprises determining that the aerosol delivery system is overheated.
(Embodiment 15)
15. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises a power source, and the feedback includes an indication that the power source has less than a predetermined amount of remaining power.
(Embodiment 16)
The method further comprises: providing a sensor for generating sensor data; and a controller, the controller comprising:
receiving the sensor data from the sensor;
determining an indication for the feedback using the sensor data;
generating an output signal for the feedback portion to provide the feedback including the indication after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode;
16. The aerosol delivery system of any one of embodiments 1 to 15, further configured as follows:
(Embodiment 17)
17. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises an aerosol delivery device for generating the aerosol, the aerosol delivery device comprising the feedback portion.
(Embodiment 18)
An aerosol delivery system as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 17, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises an aerosol delivery device for generating the aerosol, and further comprises an electrical device operable to communicate with the aerosol delivery device, the electrical device comprising the feedback section.
(Embodiment 19)
20. The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 18, wherein the electrical device comprises a handheld device.
(Embodiment 20)
20. The aerosol delivery system of any one of the preceding embodiments, further comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge.
(Embodiment 21)
21. The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 20, wherein the aerosol delivery device comprises the feedback portion.
(Embodiment 22)
the sensor data indicating a quantity of aerosol-forming material in at least a portion of the cartridge;
The controller:
using the sensor data to determine if the amount of the aerosol-forming material is less than a predetermined amount;
and generating the output signal in response to determining that the amount of the aerosol generating material is less than the predetermined amount, such that the feedback portion provides the feedback including the indication after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode.
The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 20 or 21, when further dependent on embodiment 16, is configured as follows:
(Embodiment 23)
23. The aerosol delivery system of embodiment 22, wherein the indication includes a suggestion to replace or refill the cartridge.
(Embodiment 24)
1. A method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising:
The method includes a step of providing feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system using a feedback unit after the aerosol delivery system has generated the aerosol in an operational mode, but not while the aerosol delivery system is generating the aerosol in the operational mode.
(Embodiment 25)
The method further comprises:
receiving sensor data from a sensor of the aerosol delivery system by the controller;
the controller using the sensor data to determine an indication for the feedback;
generating an output signal for the feedback portion to provide the feedback including the indication after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode;
25. The method of embodiment 24, further comprising:
(Embodiment 26)
removing a portion of the aerosol delivery system from the user's mouth after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode;
providing the feedback to the user after the portion of the aerosol delivery system is removed from the mouth of the user;
26. The method of embodiment 24 or 25, further comprising:
(Embodiment 27)
27. The method of embodiment 26, wherein the portion includes an aerosol delivery device from the aerosol delivery system.
(Embodiment 28)
28. The method of any one of embodiments 24 to 27, wherein the feedback is provided to the user as visual feedback on a display from an aerosol delivery device from the aerosol delivery system.

Claims (28)

1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising:
a feedback unit for providing feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system;
The aerosol delivery system, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in an operating mode, and is further configured not to provide the feedback while the aerosol delivery system is generating the aerosol in the operating mode. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback within 5 seconds after the aerosol delivery system has finished generating the aerosol in the operational mode. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback at least 1 second after the aerosol delivery system has finished generating the aerosol in the operational mode. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback for a duration of at least 5 seconds. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the feedback unit is configured to provide the feedback for a duration of 10 seconds or less. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aerosol delivery system includes a display, and the feedback unit includes the display. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the feedback includes visual feedback. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the feedback includes tactile feedback. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the feedback includes acoustic feedback. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the feedback is configured to provide an indication of a predetermined characteristic of the aerosol delivery system. The aerosol delivery system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined characteristic comprises an aerosol production rate from the aerosol delivery system while producing the aerosol in the operational mode. The aerosol delivery system of claim 10 or 11, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises an aerosol generator for generating the aerosol, and the predetermined characteristic comprises an amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator while generating the aerosol in the operational mode. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the feedback includes an indication that the aerosol delivery system has experienced a fault. The aerosol delivery system of claim 13, wherein the fault includes determining that the aerosol delivery system is overheated. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the aerosol delivery system includes a power source, and the feedback includes an indication that the power source has less than a predetermined amount of remaining power. The method further comprises: providing a sensor for generating sensor data; and a controller, the controller comprising:
receiving the sensor data from the sensor;
determining an indication for the feedback using the sensor data;
The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 15, further configured to generate an output signal for the feedback unit to provide the feedback including the indication after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the aerosol supply system comprises an aerosol supply device for generating the aerosol, and the aerosol supply device comprises the feedback section. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises an aerosol delivery device for generating the aerosol, and further comprises an electrical device operable to communicate with the aerosol delivery device, the electrical device comprising the feedback section. The aerosol delivery system of claim 18, wherein the electrical device comprises a portable device. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge. The aerosol delivery system of claim 20, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes the feedback portion. the sensor data indicating a quantity of aerosol-forming material in at least a portion of the cartridge;
The controller:
using the sensor data to determine if the amount of the aerosol-forming material is less than a predetermined amount;
22. The aerosol delivery system of claim 20 or 21, when further dependent on claim 16, configured to generate the output signal in response to determining that the amount of the aerosol generating material is less than the predetermined amount, so that the feedback unit provides the feedback including the indication after the aerosol delivery system has generated the aerosol in the operational mode. The aerosol delivery system of claim 22, wherein the indication includes a suggestion to replace or refill the cartridge. 1. A method for providing feedback to a user of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising:
The method includes a step of providing feedback to a user of the aerosol delivery system using a feedback unit after the aerosol delivery system has generated the aerosol in an operational mode, but not while the aerosol delivery system is generating the aerosol in the operational mode. The method further comprises:
receiving sensor data from a sensor of the aerosol delivery system by the controller;
the controller using the sensor data to determine an indication for the feedback;
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: the controller generating an output signal to provide the feedback including the indication to the feedback portion after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode. removing a portion of the aerosol delivery system from the user's mouth after the aerosol delivery system generates the aerosol in the operational mode;
and providing the feedback to the user after the portion of the aerosol delivery system is removed from the mouth of the user. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the portion includes an aerosol delivery device from the aerosol delivery system. The method of any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the feedback is provided to the user as visual feedback on a display from an aerosol delivery device from the aerosol delivery system.

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