JP2024538968A - Aerosol Delivery System - Google Patents

Abstract

A mouthpiece 33 for an aerosol delivery system 1. The mouthpiece 33 comprises at least one aerosol outlet channel 62 for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece 33. The mouthpiece 33 comprises at least one actuator 800 that may be configured to be actuated by a user's mouth while the mouthpiece 33 is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system 1. The actuator 800 may define an exterior surface of the mouthpiece 33, and the actuator 800 may optionally be configured to control operation of an aerosol generator 40 of the aerosol delivery system. In this manner, the actuator 800 may enable hands-free control of the aerosol delivery system, allowing a user to operate the aerosol delivery system 1 using their mouth, lips, or tongue. [Selected Figure]

Description

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

Electronic aerosol delivery systems often employ electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), or more generally, aerosol delivery devices. Such aerosol delivery systems typically contain an aerosolizable material (also referred to as an aerosol-generating material), such as a fluid or liquid reservoir, typically but not necessarily containing a formulation including nicotine, or a solid such as a tobacco-based product, from which a vapor/aerosol is generated, e.g., through heating and vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol delivery system typically comprises a vaporizer (also referred to as an 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 can pass through a flavoring material to add flavor to the vapor (if the aerosolizable material itself is not flavored), and the (flavored) vapor can then be delivered from the aerosol delivery system to the user via the mouthpiece.

A potential drawback of existing aerosol delivery systems and related aerosol delivery devices is that certain actions may be difficult to perform, especially for individuals with physical disabilities. Accordingly, various approaches are described herein that attempt to address or help alleviate some of the aforementioned problems through the use of an actuator in the mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery system that may be usable by a user to control the operation of the aerosol delivery system via the mouth, lips, or tongue.

According to a first aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, the mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece, and at least one actuator configured to be actuated by the user while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system.

According to a second aspect of an embodiment, there is provided an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising a mouthpiece according to the first aspect and an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol, the aerosol outlet channel being configured to receive the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator.

According to a third aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a cartridge for an aerosol delivery system, the aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising a mouthpiece according to the first aspect.

According to a fourth aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the step of operating at least one actuator of a mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery system to control operation of the aerosol delivery system.

It will be understood that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to various aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention and may be combined with these embodiments as appropriate 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) according to 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 cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2A and 2B are schematic perspective and plan views of a dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2A and 2B are schematic perspective and plan views of a dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. 2A and 2B are two perspective and plan views illustrating a schematic of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1; 2A and 2B are two perspective and plan views illustrating a schematic of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1; 2A and 2B are two perspective and plan views illustrating a schematic of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1; 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views illustrating a bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1 . 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views illustrating a bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a mouthpiece including at least one actuator that can be used with the aerosol delivery system described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a mouthpiece according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, comprising an actuator that at least partially surrounds the aerosol exit channel. FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram illustrating a mouthpiece with multiple actuators offset from one another along the axis of the mouthpiece, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 10A-10C are schematic diagrams illustrating an aerosol delivery system using a mouthpiece with an actuator, such as the mouthpiece of FIGS. 7-9, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description
Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are described/explained 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 described/explained in detail. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods described herein that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to non-combustion aerosol delivery systems (such as e-cigarettes). According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the aerosolizable material that is a component of the aerosol delivery system (or its components) is not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery to a user. An aerosolizable material, sometimes referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material or an aerosol precursor material, is a material that can generate an aerosol when activated, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may be flavored.

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

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.

Generally, a (non-combustible) aerosol delivery system can include a cartridge/consumable portion and a body/reusable/aerosol delivery device portion configured to releasably engage the cartridge/consumable portion.

The aerosol delivery system may be provided with means for providing power to a vaporizer of the aerosol delivery system and may be provided with an aerosolizable material transfer element for receiving the aerosolizable material to be vaporized. The aerosol delivery system may be provided with 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 may be a heater/heating element that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatiles 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 may be capable of generating a vapor/aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat, e.g., via one or more of vibrational means, mechanical means, pressurized means, 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 olfactorily 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, psychoactive substances. The active ingredient may be naturally derived 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 botanical material. In some embodiments, the active ingredient is a physiologically active ingredient and may be selected from nicotine, nicotine salts (e.g., nicotine bitartrate/nicotine bitartrate), 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" that may be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory sensation in products for adult consumers, where local regulations permit. In some instances, such ingredients may be referred to as flavors, flavorings, flavoring materials, cooling agents, heating agents, and/or sweetening agents. The ingredients may be naturally derived flavor materials, botanical substances, extracts of botanical substances, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, liquorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, 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, blueberries, mulberries, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, 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, ira Nylon, sage, fennel, wasabi, chili pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, any species of mint oil of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, 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, chili pepper, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, carvey, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars 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 materials may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. These ingredients include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, chili pepper, scallion ... One or more of the following additives may be in any suitable form, e.g., liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas: mint oil of any species of the genus Mentha, uga, anise, coriander, coffee, or Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars 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. The materials may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. The materials may be in any suitable form, e.g., oil, liquid, or powder.

In some embodiments, the flavoring materials (flavors) may include menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavors include cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or red berry flavor ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavors include eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavors include flavor ingredients extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavors include sensory elicitors 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 scent or taste nerves, and may include agents that provide heating, cooling, tingling, and anesthetic effects. A suitable heat effect 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 can include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the carrier component can 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 previously mentioned, aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) can often comprise modular assemblies that include both a reusable part (main body or aerosol delivery device) and a replaceable consumable (cartridge) part. Devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration can generally be referred to as two-part devices. It is also common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongated shape. To provide a concrete example, certain embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can comprise this type of generally elongated two-part device that uses a consumable part. However, it will be understood that the underlying principles described herein can equally be employed in other e-cigarette configurations, e.g., modular devices with three or more parts, as devices conforming to other overall shapes based, for example, on so-called box-mod high-performance devices that generally have a more box-like shape.

From the above, therefore, reference is made to FIG. 1, which is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system (e-cigarette) 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Terms relating to the relative positions of various aspects of an 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 otherwise dictates). However, it will be understood that this is merely for ease of explanation and is not intended to imply any required 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 manner in which the mechanical and electrical connection is established is not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may be established in accordance with conventional techniques, for example, based on mechanical fastening of threads, bayonets, latches, or friction fit, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts/electrodes to establish an electrical connection between the two parts as necessary. In the exemplary cartridge of electronic cigarette 1 depicted 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 the interface end portion 6 into a corresponding receptacle 8/receiving portion of the aerosol delivery device at the interface end of the cartridge. The interface end portion 6 of the cartridge includes a protrusion 56 that fits tightly against the receptacle 8 and engages a corresponding detent on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 that defines 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 previously mentioned, the particular manner in which the electrical connection is established is not important to the principles described herein, and in fact some implementations may not have any electrical connection at all between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device, for example because the transmission of power from the reusable part 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., 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 when they are coupled together). The cross section of the electronic cigarette is generally oval, being largest near the center of the electronic cigarette and curving and tapering toward the ends. The cross section near the center of the electronic cigarette has a width of about 2.5 cm and a thickness of about 1.7 cm. The end of the cartridge has a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 0.6 mm, and 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, as well as the materials from which the electronic cigarette 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 different sizes, shapes, and/or materials.

According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery device 4 may be generally conventional in terms of its function and general construction techniques. In the example of FIG. 1, the aerosol delivery device 4 comprises a plastic outer housing 10 including a receptacle wall 12 defining a receptacle 8 for receiving an end of a cartridge, as previously described. The outer housing of the aerosol delivery device 4 in this example has a generally oval cross-section at the interface that matches the shape and size of the cartridge 2 and provides a smooth transition between the two parts. The receptacle 8 and the 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 wall 12 includes 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 of the cartridge when the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device. Different ones of the openings 14 are aligned with the air inlet 50 of the cartridge in different orientations. It will be appreciated that some implementations may not have any degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in only one orientation, and other implementations may have a greater 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 for 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, such as the type typically used in e-cigarettes and other applications requiring the delivery of a relatively high current for a relatively short period of time. The battery 16 may be recharged through a charging port 24, which may include, for example, a USB connector.

The input button 20 in this example is a conventional mechanical button, e.g., comprising a spring-loaded component that a user can press to establish electrical contact with the underlying circuitry. In this regard, the input button may be considered an input device for detecting user input, e.g., to trigger aerosol generation, and the particular manner in which the button is implemented is not important. For example, other forms of mechanical buttons (e.g., based on capacitive or optical sensing techniques) or contact-sensitive buttons may be used in other implementations, or a button may not be present and the device may rely on a puff detector to trigger aerosol generation.

The indicator lights 22 are provided to give the user a visual indication of various characteristics associated with the electronic cigarette, such as an operating state (e.g., on/off/standby), as well as other characteristics such as battery life or a fault condition. Generally consistent with conventional techniques, different characteristics may be indicated, for example, through different colors and/or different flash sequences.

The control circuit 18 is suitably configured/programmed to control the operation of the electronic cigarette to provide conventional operating functions in accordance with established techniques for controlling electronic cigarettes. The control circuit (processor circuit) 18 can be considered to logically comprise various subunits/circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the electronic cigarette. For example, depending on the functionality provided in different implementations, the control circuit 18 can 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 units/circuit-related functions in accordance with the principles described herein and conventional operating aspects of electronic cigarettes, such as an indicator light display drive 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, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computers and/or one or more suitably configured application specific integrated circuits/circuits/chip(s)/chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality.

Figure 2 is an exploded schematic perspective view (exploded along longitudinal axis L) of cartridge 2. Cartridge 2 includes housing portion 32, air channel seal 34, dividing wall 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 more detail and schematic form.

Figure 3A is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L where housing portion 32 is at its narrowest. 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 dividing wall element 36 as viewed from below. Figure 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view through the top of the dividing wall 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 with respect to 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 defines the exterior of the cartridge 2, and the inner housing tube 62 defines a portion of the air channel through the cartridge. The housing portion is closed at the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge, except for a mouthpiece opening/aerosol outlet 60 of the mouthpiece 33, which opens at the interface end 54 of the cartridge and is in fluid communication with the inner housing tube 62. The housing portion 32 includes an opening in a side wall, which provides an air inlet 50 for the cartridge. The air inlet 50 in this example has an area of about ² mm2. The outer surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes the aforementioned protrusions 56 that engage corresponding detents on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 that defines 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 includes a further projection 66 which acts to provide an abutment stop for locating the dividing wall element 36 along the longitudinal axis L when the cartridge is assembled. The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 further includes an aperture providing a latch recess 68 arranged to receive a corresponding latch projection 70 on the end cap to secure the end cap to the housing portion when the cartridge is assembled.

The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes a double-walled portion 74 that defines a gap 76 that is in fluid communication with the air inlet 50. The gap 76 provides a portion of an air channel through the cartridge. In this example, the double-walled portion 74 of the housing portion 32 is arranged such that the gap defines an air channel that extends within 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 76 of the air channel defined by the double-walled portion of the housing portion extends down to the open end of the housing portion 32.

The air channel seal 34 is a silicone molding generally in the form of a tube 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 a peripheral ridge, which are not visible in FIG. 2. When the cartridge is assembled, the air channel seal 34 is attached to the housing inner tube 62, the end of which extends 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 the relaxed state, and the end of the housing inner tube 62 has a diameter of about 6.2 mm to form a seal when the air channel seal 34 is stretched to accommodate the housing inner 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, from 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 lower end of the outlet tube 38 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 88, with a semicircular recess 90 at the end of each slot. 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 the relaxed state so that it forms a seal when the air channel seal 34 is compressed to fit within 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 comprises a capillary wick, and the vaporizer (aerosol generator) 40 comprises a resistance wire heater wrapped around the capillary wick. In addition to the portion of resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick, the vaporizer comprises an electrical lead 41 that passes through a hole in the plug 44 to contact an electrode 46 attached to the end cap 54, and power can be provided to the vaporizer via an electrical interface established when the cartridge is connected to an aerosol delivery device. The vaporizer lead 41 can comprise the same material as the resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick, or can comprise a different material (e.g., a low resistance material) connected to the resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick. In this example, the heater coil 40 comprises nickel-iron alloy wire, and the wick 42 comprises fiberglass bundles. The vaporizer and aerosolizable material transfer elements may be provided according to any conventional technique and can comprise different forms and/or different materials. For example, in some implementations, the wick can comprise a fibrous or solid ceramic material, and the heater can comprise 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 transport element and vaporizer is not of primary importance to the principles described herein.

When the cartridge is assembled, the wick 42 is received in the semicircular recess 90 in the outlet tube 38 so that the central portion of the wick around which the heating coil is wrapped is inside the outlet tube and the end portions of the wick are outside the outlet tube 38.

The plug 44 in this example comprises a unitary molding of silicone and may be resilient. The plug comprises a base 100 with an outer wall 102 extending upwardly from the base 100 (i.e., toward the mouthpiece end of the cartridge). The plug further comprises an inner wall 104 extending upwardly from the base 100 and surrounding a through hole 106 therethrough.

An outer wall 102 of the plug 44 conforms to the inner surface of the housing portion 32 such that the plug of 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 of 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. Extending outwardly (i.e., away from the longitudinal axis of the cartridge) from the bottom of each slot in the inner wall 104 is a cradle portion 112 that is shaped to receive a portion of the aerosolizable material transfer element 42 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, such 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 define an aperture through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes. The size of the aperture provided by the semicircular recess through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes corresponds closely to the size and shape of the aerosolizable material transfer element, but is slightly smaller, and thus a degree of compression is provided by the elasticity of the plug 44. This allows the aerosolizable material to be transferred along the aerosolizable material transfer element by capillary action, while limiting the extent to which aerosolizable material not transferred by capillary action can pass through the opening. As previously mentioned, the plug 44 includes a further opening 114 in the base 100 through which the vaporizer contact lead 41 passes when the cartridge is assembled. The bottom of the plug base includes spacers 116 that maintain the offset between the remaining surface of the bottom of the base and the end cap 48. These spacers 116 include openings 114 through which the vaporizer electrical contact leads 41 pass.

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

The end of the electrode post 44 at the bottom side of the end cap is flush and proximate to the interface end 54 of the cartridge provided by the end cap 48. This end of the electrode post is part of the electrode to which a correspondingly aligned spring-loaded contact of the aerosol delivery device 4 connects when the cartridge 2 is assembled and connected to the aerosol delivery device 4. The end of the electrode post in the cartridge extends away from the end cap 48 into a hole 114 in the plug 44 through which the contact lead 41 passes. The electrode post is slightly oversized relative to the hole 114, includes a chamfer at the top end to facilitate insertion into the plug hole 114, and is held in pressure contact by the plug against the vaporizer contact lead.

The end cap has a base portion 124 and an upright wall 120 that fits against the inner surface of the housing portion 32. The upright wall 120 of the end cap 48 is inserted into the housing portion 32 so that when the cartridge is assembled, the latch projections 70 engage the latch recesses 68 of the housing portion 32 to snap-fit the end cap 48 into the housing portion. The upper portion of the upright wall 120 of the end cap 48 abuts against the peripheral edge of the plug 44, and the lower surface of the spacer 116 of the plug also abuts against the base portion 124 of the plug, thus compressing the resilient portion 44 and keeping it slightly compressed when the end cap 48 is attached to the housing portion.

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

The dividing wall element 36 comprises a single moulding of polypropylene, with a dividing wall 130 and a collar 132 formed by a protrusion in a direction from the dividing wall 130 towards the interface end of the cartridge. The dividing wall element 36 has a central opening 134 through which the outlet tube 38 passes (i.e. the dividing wall is disposed around the outlet tube 38). In some embodiments, the dividing wall element 36 can be formed integrally 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 dividing wall 130, which in turn engages the protrusion 66 on the inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing part 32. The dividing wall 130 thus prevents the plug from being pushed too far into the housing part 32, i.e. the dividing wall 130 is fixedly positioned along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge by the protrusion 66 of the housing part, thus providing the plug with a fixed surface to press against. The collar 132 formed by the projection from the dividing wall includes a first pair of opposing projections/tangs 134 that engage corresponding recesses in the inner surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44. The projection from the dividing wall 130 further provides a pair of cradle portions 136 configured to engage a corresponding one of the cradle portions 112 of the part 44 when the cartridge is assembled to further define an opening through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes.

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. Starting at the air inlet 50 in the side wall of the housing portion 32, a first portion of the air channel is provided by the gap 76 formed by the double wall portion 74 of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32, and extends from the air inlet 50 past the plug 44 toward the interface end 54 of the cartridge. A second portion of the air channel is provided by the gap between the base of the plug 44 and the end cap 48. A third portion of the air channel is provided by a hole 106 through the plug 44. A fourth portion of the air channel is provided by the area within the inner wall 104 of the plug and the outlet tube around the vaporizer 40. This fourth portion of the air channel is sometimes referred to as the aerosol/aerosol generation region, and is the primary region where aerosol is generated during use. The air channel from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol generation region is sometimes referred to as the air inlet portion 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 from the aerosol-generation region that provides the aerosol outlet is sometimes referred to as the aerosol outlet portion 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 subsequently sealed, or by other means. The particular nature of the aerosolizable material, for example with respect to its composition, is not of primary importance to the principles described herein, and generally any conventional aerosolizable material of the kind typically used in electronic cigarettes can 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 can flow and may include liquids, gels, or solids, with respect to solids being considered to be capable of flowing when multiple solid particles are considered as a bulk.

The reservoir is closed at the interface end of the cartridge by the plug 44. The reservoir includes a first region above the dividing wall 130 and a second region below the dividing wall 130 in the space formed between the air channel and the outer wall of the plug. The aerosolizable material transfer element (capillary wick) 42 passes through an opening in the wall of the air channel provided by the semicircular recesses 108, 90 of the plug 44 and the outlet tube 38 and the cradle portion 112, 136 of the plug 44 and the dividing wall element 36, which engage with each other as described above. Thus, the end of the aerosolizable material transfer element extends into the second region of the reservoir and draws the aerosolizable material therefrom through the opening in 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, and the aerosol delivery device is activated to supply power to the cartridge via the contact electrode 46 of the end cap 48. Power is then sent to the vaporizer 40 through the connecting lead 41. The vaporizer is thus electrically heated, thus vaporizing a portion of the aerosolizable material from the aerosolizable material transport element near the vaporizer. This generates an aerosol in the aerosol-generating region of the air passage. 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 draws on the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge. This draws air through whichever aerosol delivery device air inlet 14 (depending on the orientation in which the cartridge was inserted into the aerosol delivery device receptacle 8) is aligned with the cartridge air inlet 50. Air then enters the cartridge through the air inlet 50, travels along the gap 76 in the double-walled portion 74 of the housing portion 32, passes between the plug 44 and the end cap 48, and then through the hole 106 in the base 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 housing portion interior 62 before exiting through the mouthpiece outlet/aerosol outlet 60 for the user to inhale.

1-6B above show possible embodiment configurations of an aerosol delivery system 1 configured to generate an aerosol suitable for use in the context of the present disclosure (among other possible forms of aerosol delivery system).

7-10, the present disclosure also provides a mouthpiece 33 that may be used with any of the cartridges 2 or aerosol delivery systems described herein, such as any of those described in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6B. Thus, at a general level, the mouthpiece 33 may include at least one actuator 705A, 705B configured to be actuated, such as by a user's mouth while the mouthpiece 33 is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. In this manner, at a general level, the actuators 705A, 705B may be configured to allow a user of the aerosol delivery system to operate the aerosol delivery system in a convenient manner, possibly without using their hands. Thus, with the above in mind, it can be seen that the provision of the actuators 705A, 705B may enable an improved user experience by allowing the user to control various aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system in several different ways, which are described in more detail below.

According to the present disclosure, in some embodiments, the one or more actuators 705A, 705B can include multiple actuators 705A, 705B. In some specific embodiments, as described in more detail herein, multiple actuators 705A, 705B can be provided at various positions and orientations around the mouthpiece. As described, in some very specific embodiments, different actuators 705A, 705B can be configured to provide different functions depending on their respective positions on the mouthpiece 33.

For example, according to some embodiments, the at least one actuator may comprise a first actuator 705A, which may be configured to be actuated by the user's mouth, possibly while the mouthpiece is being used to control a first operation of the aerosol delivery system. And, in some embodiments, the at least one actuator may comprise a second actuator 705B, which may be configured to be actuated by the user's mouth, possibly while the mouthpiece is being used to control a second operation of the aerosol delivery system. In some embodiments, the second operation may be different or the same as the first operation. For example, in very particular embodiments, the first actuator 705A may be configured to enable, disable, and/or control the operation of the aerosol generator, and the second actuator 705B may be configured to control the rate of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator 40.

In some embodiments, each actuator 705A, 705B may be configured to be actuated by a user's lips while the mouthpiece 33 is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. When configured in this manner, the actuators 705A, 705B may operate the aerosol delivery system when the user's lips contact the actuator.

Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, each actuator 705A, 705B may be configured to be actuated by the user's tongue while the mouthpiece 33 is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system.

In view of the above, it will be appreciated that in certain embodiments, one subset of actuators may be configured to be tongue-actuated and another subset may be configured to be lip-actuated, where the two subsets may or may not be mutually exclusive.

With respect to the exact configuration of any actuator(s) used, it will be appreciated that a number of different actuator types and/or combinations may be used as desired. For example, according to some embodiments, any (or all) of at least one actuator 705A, 705B may comprise a touch sensor. It will be appreciated that a number of different types of touch sensors may be used to function as actuators 705A, 705B of mouthpiece 33.

Similarly, according to some embodiments, either (or all) of at least one actuator 705A, 705B may include a movable sensor movable between a first position and a second position.

Furthermore, according to some embodiments, any (or all) of the at least one actuator 705A, 705B may comprise a resistive sensor. For example, in this context, in some particular embodiments, any resistive sensor used may comprise two conductive membranes separated by a short distance, and a voltage is applied across the membranes. When pressure is applied to one of the conductive membranes by the user's lips or tongue, the conductive membrane deforms and, when a threshold amount of pressure is applied, the conductive membrane contacts the opposing conductive membrane, thus creating a voltage drop across the membrane that can be detected by a control circuit. This arrangement may have the advantage that the control circuitry required to detect actuation of the sensor is simpler.

It will also be apparent that according to some embodiments, any (or all) of at least one actuator 705A, 705B may, in very particular embodiments, comprise a switch, such as a mechanical switch.

In some embodiments, any given actuator(s) 705A, 705B may each include a first position in which the actuators 705A, 705B are not actuated and a second position in which the actuators 705A, 705B are actuated to control operation of the aerosol delivery system.

To help prevent any undesired or unintended actuation of any provided actuator(s), according to some embodiments, any or all of the actuator(s) 705A, 705B may be biased from the second position toward the first position. For example, according to some embodiments, any or each of the given actuator(s) may include a resilient member (such as a spring in very particular embodiments) for biasing the actuator from the second position toward the first position.

Thus, with the above in mind, it can be seen that this may enable an arrangement whereby any given actuator may be operated at a first time to initiate operation of the aerosol delivery system. In this manner, according to some embodiments, the actuator may then be operated at a second time (after the first time) to deactivate the aerosol delivery system. Additionally, this arrangement may be advantageous in that it allows for continuous operation of the aerosol delivery system via the actuators without the user having to maintain pressure on the actuators 705A, 705B.

In some embodiments, any actuators 705A, 705B used may comprise a piezoelectric module. In this context, according to some embodiments, the piezoelectric module may comprise a piezoelectric material (e.g., but not limited to, a piezoelectric ceramic, a single crystal material, and/or a thin film piezoelectric material) that generates a voltage proportional to the amount of pressure applied to the material. According to certain aspects of this embodiment, the piezoelectric sensor may output an electrical signal proportional to the amount of pressure applied by the user via the lips or tongue. In this manner, the user may advantageously apply continuous control over the operation of the aerosol delivery system, as opposed to the discrete control provided by a "binary" switch.

In view of the above, it will be appreciated that, on a more general level, in some embodiments, at least one actuator 705A, 705B may comprise a pressure sensor.

Moving to the geometry of the mouthpiece 33, according to some embodiments (such as at least those shown in Figures 7-9), the mouthpiece 33 can include a first end 52 and a second end 710 opposite the first end 52. In some particular embodiments that may be particularly useful for ensuring that the generated aerosol is effectively delivered to the mouth of the user, the first end 52 can include an outlet 60 configured to deliver the aerosol received from the aerosol outlet channel 62 to the user. However, it should be understood that any outlet 60 used need not be specifically located at the first end 52, but may be located in other portions of the mouthpiece 33 as desired.

Based on the above, to help improve access of any actuators used in the mouthpiece 33, according to some particular embodiments, each actuator 705A, 705B may be positioned closer to the first end 52 than the actuator is positioned relative to the second end 710. In this way, a user may find it easier to reach the actuator with their lips or tongue.

More numerically, according to some embodiments, the actuator(s) 705A, 705B may be located 60 mm or less, 50 mm or less, 40 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 20 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 10 mm or less, 8 mm or less, and/or 5 mm or less from the outlet 60 and/or first end 52, respectively, so that the user can more easily reach the actuator with their lips and/or tongue. An example of this separation may be seen with reference to the distance D1 in the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 7. For completeness, the term "or less" here may be interpreted to mean that at least one portion of each actuator is at or less than a specified distance from the outlet 60 and/or first end 52, as opposed to requiring that all portions of each actuator are at or less than a specified distance from the outlet 60 and/or first end 52. In this way, this ensures that each actuator is operable to actuate in some form by being sufficiently close to the first end 52, if desired.

With the above in mind, according to some embodiments, each actuator may be elongated to better enable a user to locate the actuator in the mouthpiece and to more easily activate the actuator at different relative positions between the user's mouth and the mouthpiece. With respect to any such length of the actuator, according to some embodiments, the actuator (or each actuator) may have a maximum length _LMAX of 55 mm or less, 50 mm or less, 40 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 25 mm or less, 20 mm or less, and/or 15 mm or less.

Similarly, according to some additional/alternative embodiments, the actuator (or each actuator) may have a maximum width _WMAX of 20 mm or less, 18 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 12 mm or less, and/or 10 mm or less.

For any particular thickness of the actuator (or each actuator), the thickness may also be selected such that the actuator does not take up too much space in the mouthpiece 33. This may result in a risk of the actuator being damaged if it is too thick so that it protrudes too far from the mouthpiece 33. Thus, according to some embodiments, the actuator (or each actuator) may have a maximum thickness of 10 mm or less, 8 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 4 mm or less, and/or 2 mm or less. Such a maximum thickness thus allows the actuator (or each actuator) to function without taking up too much valuable space in the mouthpiece 33.

More generally, according to some embodiments, the actuator (or each actuator) may have a maximum dimension of 70 mm or less, 65 mm or less, 60 mm or less, 55 mm or less, 50 mm or less, 40 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 25 mm or less, 20 mm or less, and/or 15 mm or less. The term "maximum dimension" here may be understood to mean that none of the maximum length L _MAX , maximum width W _MAX , or maximum thickness is greater than a specified amount.

According to some embodiments, the actuators may define and/or be located on the outer surface of the mouthpiece 33 to aid in easier access to any given actuator by the user's mouth. This means that the user can easily operate the actuators by placing the mouthpiece 33 in or near the mouth and operating the actuators 705A, 705B with their lips or tongue. It will be appreciated that the actuators 705A, 705B do not necessarily have to be located on the outer surface in all embodiments. For example, if the actuators 705A, 705B comprise piezoelectric modules, the piezoelectric material itself may be located within the mouthpiece 33 such that pressure applied by the user is transmitted through the body of the mouthpiece 33 to the piezoelectric actuators. Thus, on a more general level, it will also be appreciated that according to some embodiments, the actuators may be recessed within the outer surface of the mouthpiece 33 and/or may be at least partially (or completely) embedded in the mouthpiece 33.

Continuing with the possible locations of any used actuator(s), according to some embodiments (such as those shown in Figs. 8 and 9), at least one actuator 800 (or each actuator) may at least partially or completely surround the aerosol outlet channel 62 in some thinner embodiments. This configuration may be advantageous in that when the mouthpiece 33 is inserted into the user's mouth such that the aerosol outlet channel 62 is surrounded by the user's lips, the user may reach a larger area of the actuator 800 to operate the actuator 800, thus improving the usability of the mouthpiece 33. In this regard, according to some embodiments, such as those shown in the embodiments of Figs. 8 and 9, the actuator(s) may be annular and/or tubular.

As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, it is envisioned that the at least one actuator can include a first actuator and a second actuator. According to some embodiments, the aerosol outlet channel 62 can be disposed between the first actuator and the second actuator. In this manner, the two actuators can be disposed on opposing first and second sides of the mouthpiece 33, and the aerosol outlet channel 62 can be disposed between the first and second sides.

When a first actuator and a second actuator are used, according to some particular embodiments, the two actuators 900A, 900B can be operated independently of each other to provide the same or different functions for operating the aerosol delivery system. This particular arrangement can be advantageous in that, in use, when the mouthpiece 33 is inserted into the user's mouth, the two actuators 900A, 900B can be easily operated by the user, such that either actuator 900A, 900B can be operated by the user's lips.

According to the present disclosure, the mouthpiece 33 disclosed in the above-mentioned embodiments may form part of an aerosol delivery device or system for generating an aerosol, the aerosol delivery device or system comprising the mouthpiece 33 and an aerosol generator 40 for generating an aerosol, the aerosol outlet channel 62 being configured to receive the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator 40. Although not required, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system may further comprise a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4 configured to receive the cartridge 2, the cartridge 2 comprising the mouthpiece 33 (e.g. as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 10).

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system 1 may further include a control circuit (such as the control circuit 18 described above with reference to the embodiments of Figures 1-6B) configured to receive a first signal from the at least one actuator 1000 and generate an output signal for controlling operation of the aerosol generator 40 (and/or the aerosol delivery system, more generally) based on the first signal from the at least one actuator 1000. In this manner, a user of the aerosol delivery system 1 may selectively control operation of the aerosol generator (and/or the aerosol delivery system) by means of the at least one actuator 1000. As described in more detail below, the control circuit 18 may be configured to control several different aspects of the aerosol delivery system 1 to various degrees.

In some configurations, the control circuitry 18 may be further configured to receive a first signal from the at least one actuator 1000, use the first signal to determine whether the aerosol generator 40 (and/or the aerosol delivery system) should be operated, and, in response to determining that the aerosol generator 40 (and/or the aerosol delivery system) should be operated, generate an output signal for controlling operation of the aerosol generator 40 (and/or the aerosol delivery system) based on the first signal from the at least one actuator 1000. This provides a means for controlling operation of the aerosol generator 40 (and/or the aerosol delivery system) in a particularly effective manner.

For example, according to some embodiments, operation of a given actuator(s) described herein may include disabling operation of the aerosol generator 40 (and/or disabling operation of the aerosol delivery system). Disabling the aerosol generator may include, for example, reducing or removing power provided to the aerosol generator from the power source 16 such that aerosol is no longer generated. Additionally or alternatively, disabling the aerosol generator 40 may include mechanically isolating the aerosol generator 40 from the aerosol outlet channel 62. Any other suitable means of disabling the aerosol generator 40 may be used depending on the particular embodiment required.

Additionally or alternatively, operation of a given actuator(s) may include an operation to enable operation of the aerosol generator 40 (and/or an operation to enable operation of the aerosol delivery system). Essentially, the reverse of the example described above may be used to enable operation of the aerosol generator 40, i.e., increasing the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40, removing mechanical isolation, etc.

Additionally or alternatively, according to some embodiments, the operation of a given actuator(s) may include controlling the rate of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator 40. In very specific embodiments, the rate of aerosol generation may be proportional to the strength or magnitude of the first signal received from the actuator 1000. As previously mentioned, for example, a piezoelectric actuator may output a signal proportional to the pressure applied to the actuator 1000. In this manner, the rate of aerosol generation from the aerosol generator 40 may be configured to be increased or decreased by the user adjusting the amount of pressure applied to the actuator 1000. In another specific embodiment, the rate of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator 40 may be configured to be proportional to the amount of time that the user applies pressure to the actuator 1000. For example, when the user applies pressure to the actuator 1000 for a first predetermined threshold amount of time, the flow rate may change to a first flow rate value. When the user maintains the pressure applied to the actuator 1000 for an additional second threshold amount of time, the flow rate may increase again to a second flow rate value, and so on. The aerosol delivery system may be configured to provide feedback to the user when the flow rate is changed to indicate that the actuator has caused an action resulting in an adjustment in the flow rate. It will be appreciated that this feedback may include audio, visual, thermal, tactile, or any other suitable form of feedback.

Additionally or alternatively, according to some embodiments, the operation may include controlling the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40. In very specific embodiments, the temperature of the generated aerosol may be varied by varying the power supplied from the power source 16 to the aerosol generator 40. In some specific embodiments, in a manner similar to varying the flow rate of the aerosol described above, the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40 may be proportional to the amount of pressure applied by the user to the actuator 1000. In this manner, for example, the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40 may be increased or decreased by the user adjusting the amount of pressure applied to the actuator 1000. In another specific embodiment, the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40 may be proportional to the amount of time that the user applies pressure to the actuator 1000. For example, when the user applies pressure to the actuator 1000 for a first predetermined threshold amount of time, the power may change to a first power value. When the user maintains pressure on the actuator 1000 for an additional second threshold amount of time, the power may again increase to a second power value, and so on. The aerosol delivery system may be configured to provide feedback to the user when the power delivered is varied to indicate that the power has been adjusted as a result of the actuator 100 causing an action. This feedback may include audio, visual, thermal, tactile, or any other suitable form of feedback.

In accordance with the above, in very specific embodiments, the mouthpiece 33 can include at least two actuators, each configured to perform an operation including one of disabling operation of the aerosol generator 40, enabling operation of the aerosol generator 40, controlling the rate of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator 40, and/or controlling the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40.

In further specific embodiments, in those embodiments using two or more actuators, some of which may have two actuators located on opposite sides of the mouthpiece 33, with the aerosol outlet channel 62 located between the two actuators. In this way, the user can then more easily distinguish between the two actuators and can activate each of the two actuators separately and independently of one another.

Additionally/alternatively, in embodiments using two or more actuators, according to some embodiments, the actuators may be offset from one another with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the channel of the mouthpiece 33/cartridge 2 (e.g., as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9). In this regard, according to some embodiments using a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator may be separated from the second actuator by a predetermined minimum distance D2, and in some very specific embodiments, the minimum distance D2 may be a distance parallel to the longitudinal axis L, as shown in the specific embodiment of FIG. 9.

When such a minimum distance D2 is used, according to some particular embodiments, the minimum distance may be 40 mm or less, 30 mm or less, 20 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 10 mm or less, and/or 8 mm or less.

Additionally/alternatively, when such a minimum distance is used, according to some particular embodiments, the minimum distance may be at least 5 mm, at least 8 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 15 mm, at least 20 mm, at least 25 mm, and/or at least 30 mm.

The above minimum distances therefore conveniently allow a user to adequately distinguish the first actuator from the second actuator based on feel in the mouth as opposed to visually inspecting the mouthpiece 33.

The term "minimum distance" D2 here can be interpreted to mean that at least one portion of a first actuator is no more than a specified distance from at least one portion of a second actuator, as opposed to all portions of each actuator having to be no more than a specified distance away from all portions of the other actuator. In this way, this minimum distance ensures proper spacing between the two actuators to better avoid one actuator malfunctioning in place of the other.

According to some embodiments, a cartridge 2 for an aerosol delivery system is provided, comprising a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4, the cartridge 2 comprising the mouthpiece 33 described above.

With reference to the above disclosure, it will be appreciated that there is also provided a corresponding method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the step of operating at least one actuator of a mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery system to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. Generally, with this method, when a user activates the actuator, the actuator controls operation of the aerosol delivery system. Furthermore, the use of an actuator to control operation of the aerosol delivery system can enhance the user experience when using the aerosol delivery system by allowing the user to directly control operation of the aerosol delivery system. Thus, the use of an actuator on or in the mouthpiece 33 can help improve the operability/usability of the aerosol delivery system.

In some embodiments, the method may include using the mouth of a user of the aerosol delivery system to operate at least one actuator of the mouthpiece to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. As will be appreciated, this allows a user to operate the aerosol delivery system hands-free, thereby improving ease of use/usability of the system.

As with the embodiments described with reference to the aerosol delivery system disclosed herein, the method may further include a control circuit for the aerosol delivery system, the control circuit receiving a first signal from the at least one actuator and generating an output signal for controlling operation of the aerosol generator based on the first signal from the at least one actuator.

For example, according to some embodiments, the method may further include controlling operation of the aerosol generator in response to the aerosol generator receiving the output signal.

Thus, with reference to the above disclosure, several different possible implementations of an actuator are described for use with a mouthpiece 33 configured for use with any of the aerosol delivery devices or systems described herein.

Thus, in light of the above, there is described a mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, the mouthpiece comprising an aerosol exit channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece, and at least one actuator configured to be actuated by the user while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system.

Also described is an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the aerosol delivery system comprising the mouthpiece described above and an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol, the aerosol outlet channel being configured to receive the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator.

Also described is a cartridge for an aerosol delivery system comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising the mouthpiece described above.

Also described is a method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the step of operating at least one actuator of a mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery system to control operation of the aerosol delivery system.

A mouthpiece 33 of the aerosol delivery system 1 is also described. The mouthpiece 33 comprises at least one aerosol outlet channel 62 for delivering aerosol to a user of the mouthpiece 33. The mouthpiece 33 comprises at least one actuator 800 that may be configured to be actuated by a user's mouth while the mouthpiece 33 is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system 1. The actuator 800 may define an exterior surface of the mouthpiece 33, and the actuator 800 may optionally be configured to control operation of the aerosol generator 40 of the aerosol delivery system. In this manner, the actuator 800 may enable hands-free control of the aerosol delivery system, allowing a user to operate the aerosol delivery system 1 using their mouth, lips, or tongue.

To address various problems and advance the art, the present disclosure illustrates, by way of example, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are presented merely to aid in understanding and to teach the claimed invention(s). It is to be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be considered limitations on the present 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. It is to be understood that the various embodiments may suitably comprise, 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 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. This disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

For example, with regard to the manner in which power may be provided to any provided actuators (if actuators are used), it will be appreciated that each actuator may be powered using power source 16 or may be powered by its own power source (not shown).

Similarly, with respect to the placement of any such actuators that may be used herein, it will be understood that their location may be anywhere in the aerosol delivery system as necessary so that the actuators can provide the required functionality.

For completeness, it will be understood that with respect to any actuators used herein, any power or signal sent to the actuator may be provided using a wired or wireless connection between the control circuitry 18 and the respective actuator. For example, in the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 10, a wired connection is provided between the associated actuator and the control circuitry 18, extending through contact electrodes 46 located on each of the aerosol delivery device 4 and the cartridge 2, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the components are located on the cartridge 2 across the interface end 54.

Finally, although some aerosol delivery system embodiments have been described herein as comprising a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4, this is not necessarily required as the aerosol delivery system may in some embodiments define an essentially single component that comprises all of the vaporization functions of the cartridge 2 and the aerosol delivery device 4 in a single component.

Claims (51)

1. A mouthpiece for an aerosol delivery system, comprising:
an aerosol exit channel for delivering an aerosol to a user of said mouthpiece;
A mouthpiece comprising at least one actuator configured to be actuated by the user while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator is configured to be actuated by a user while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system and to be actuated by the user's mouth while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. The mouthpiece of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each actuator is configured to be actuated by the lips of the user while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each actuator is configured to be actuated by the tongue of the user while the mouthpiece is being used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a mechanical switch. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each actuator includes a first position in which the actuator is not actuated and a second position in which the actuator is actuated, and the actuator is biased toward the first position. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a piezoelectric module. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one actuator is equipped with a pressure sensor. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the mouthpiece has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The mouthpiece of claim 10, further comprising an outlet configured to deliver the aerosol received from the aerosol outlet channel to the user, the first end comprising the outlet. The mouthpiece of claim 10 or 11, wherein each actuator is located 50 mm or less from the first end. A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each actuator defines or is disposed on an outer surface of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the mouthpiece has an outer surface and each actuator is at least partially recessed into the outer surface. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein each actuator is at least partially embedded in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the at least one actuator at least partially surrounds the aerosol outlet channel. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein each actuator at least partially surrounds the aerosol outlet channel. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein each actuator is annular. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the at least one actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The mouthpiece of claim 19, wherein the aerosol outlet channel is disposed between the first actuator and the second actuator. the first actuator defines or is disposed on a first exterior surface of the mouthpiece;
21. The mouthpiece of claim 19 or 20 when further dependent on claim 13, wherein the second actuator defines or is located on a second outer surface of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the first actuator is disposed on a first side of the mouthpiece and the second actuator is disposed on a second side of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece of claim 22, wherein the first side is opposite the second side. the first actuator is configured to be actuated by the mouth of the user while the mouthpiece is being used to control a first operation of the aerosol delivery system;
24. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the second actuator is configured to be actuated by the user's mouth while the mouthpiece is being used to control a second operation of the aerosol delivery system. the first actuator is configured to be actuated while the mouthpiece is being used to control a first operation of the aerosol delivery system;
The mouthpiece of any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the second actuator is configured to be actuated while the mouthpiece is being used to control a second operation of the aerosol delivery system. The mouthpiece of claim 24 or 25, wherein the first action is different from the second action. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein the first actuator is separated from the second actuator by a minimum distance of at least 5 mm. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 20 to 27, wherein the first actuator is separated from the second actuator by a minimum distance of 40 mm or less. A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 20 to 28 when further dependent on claim 11, wherein the first actuator is disposed closer to the first end than the second actuator is disposed relative to the first end. A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 20 to 29 when further dependent on claim 12, wherein the first actuator is positioned closer to the outlet than the second actuator is positioned relative to the outlet. A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein each actuator has a maximum dimension of 40 mm or less. A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein each actuator is elongated. 1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising:
A mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 32,
an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol;
An aerosol delivery system, wherein an aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator. The aerosol delivery system of claim 33, further comprising a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising the mouthpiece. receiving a first signal from the at least one actuator;
The aerosol delivery system of claim 33 or 34, further comprising a control circuit configured to generate an output signal for controlling the operation of the aerosol delivery system based on the first signal from the at least one actuator. The control circuit,
receiving the first signal from the at least one actuator;
using the first signal to determine whether to perform the action;
36. The aerosol delivery system of claim 35, further configured to generate an output signal for controlling the operation of the aerosol delivery system based on the first signal from the at least one actuator in response to determining that the operation should be performed. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 33 to 36, wherein the operation includes operation of the aerosol generator. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 33 to 37, wherein the operation includes disabling and/or enabling the operation of the aerosol generator. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 33 to 38, wherein the operation includes controlling the rate at which the aerosol is generated by the aerosol generator. The aerosol supply system of any one of claims 33 to 39, wherein the operation includes an operation of varying the power supplied to the aerosol generator. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 33 to 40, further comprising a reservoir for containing an aerosol generating material to be aerosolized by the aerosol generator. The aerosol delivery system of claim 41, wherein the reservoir is annular. The aerosol delivery system of claim 41 or 42, wherein the reservoir surrounds the aerosol outlet channel. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 41 to 43, when further dependent on claim 10, wherein the reservoir is disposed between the first end and the aerosol generator. A cartridge for an aerosol delivery system, the aerosol delivery system comprising the cartridge and an aerosol delivery device configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising a mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 32. The cartridge of claim 45, wherein the cartridge further comprises an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol, and the aerosol outlet channel is configured to receive the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator. The cartridge of claim 45 or 46, wherein the cartridge comprises a reservoir for containing an aerosol-generating material to be aerosolized by the aerosol generator. 1. A method for controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system, comprising:
The method includes the step of operating at least one actuator of a mouthpiece of the aerosol delivery system to control operation of the aerosol delivery system. The method of claim 49, further comprising the step of operating the at least one actuator of the mouthpiece with the mouth of a user of the aerosol delivery system to control the operation of the aerosol delivery system. The method further includes a control circuit for the aerosol delivery system, the control circuit comprising:
receiving a first signal from the at least one actuator;
50. The method of claim 48 or 49, further comprising generating an output signal for controlling the operation of the aerosol delivery system based on the first signal from the at least one actuator. A method according to any one of claims 48 to 50, wherein the operation of the aerosol delivery system comprises operation of an aerosol generator of the aerosol delivery system.

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