RU2844521C1 - Aerosol delivery device with double reservoir - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: smoking accessories.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to aerosol delivery devices and, in particular, to an aerosol delivery device containing one or more reservoirs and one or more spraying units, which can use electric energy for evaporation of one or more liquid compositions to form an aerosol. Technical result is achieved by the fact that the aerosol delivery device comprises a casing forming an outer wall, as well as including a power supply and a control component, a mouthpiece forming an aerosol discharge path, a first reservoir configured to contain a first liquid composition, a second reservoir configured to contain a second liquid composition, a first spray unit configured to vaporise a first liquid composition to generate a first aerosol having a first aerosol particle size, and a second spray unit configured to vaporise a second liquid composition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosol particle size, wherein the first liquid composition differs from the second liquid composition, and wherein the first particle size differs from the second particle size, and wherein at least one of the first and second spray units comprises a vibration unit.

EFFECT: improved functionality of the device.

14 cl, 5 dwg

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and the right to benefit from U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/657,219, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device with Dual Reservoir, filed October 18, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices and, in particular, to an aerosol delivery device comprising one or more reservoirs and one or more spray units that can use electrical energy to vaporize one or more liquid compositions to form an aerosol. In various embodiments, the liquid compositions, which may include materials and/or components that may be made or obtained from tobacco or otherwise contain tobacco or other plants, may include natural or synthetic components including flavors, and/or may include one or more medical components, are vaporized by the spray units to obtain an inhalable substance for human consumption.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Over the years, a variety of smoking devices have been proposed as an improvement or alternative to smoking products that require the combustion of tobacco. It is understood that many of these devices have been designed to provide the sensations associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but without delivering significant amounts of the incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from the combustion of tobacco. To this end, a variety of smoking products, aroma generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that use electrical energy to vaporize or heat a vaporizable material or attempt to provide the sensations of smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without significantly burning tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat generating sources disclosed in the art, as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Also see, for example, the various types of electrically powered smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and sources referenced by trademark and trade information source in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

However, it would be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device with improved functionality. In this regard, it is desirable to provide an aerosol delivery with advantageous elements.

DISCLOSURE OF THE ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods for making such devices and elements of such devices. In particular, the present invention relates to an aerosol delivery device. The present invention includes, without limitation, the following examples of implementations:

The example implementation option 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising a housing forming an outer wall and also including a power source and a control component, a mouthpiece portion forming a path for the aerosol outlet, a first reservoir configured to contain a first liquid composition, a second reservoir configured to contain a second liquid composition, a first spray unit configured to evaporate the first liquid composition to generate a first aerosol having a first aerosol particle size, and a second spray unit configured to evaporate the second liquid composition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosol particle size, wherein the first liquid composition is different from the second liquid composition, and wherein the first particle size is different from the second particle size.

The example implementation option 2: An aerosol delivery device according to exemplary embodiment 1 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein at least one of the first and second spray units comprises a vibrating unit.

Exemplary embodiment 3: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-2 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein one of the first and second vibration assemblies comprises a mesh plate and a vibration component.

Exemplary embodiment 4: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-3 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the vibration component of one of the first and second vibration assemblies comprises a piezoelectric ring attached to and substantially surrounding the mesh plate.

Exemplary embodiment 5: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-4 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the mesh plate of one of the first and second vibration assemblies is substantially planar.

Exemplary embodiment 6: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-5 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein at least a portion of the mesh plate of at least one of the first and second vibration assemblies is convex with respect to the corresponding reservoir.

The example implementation option 7: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of the exemplary embodiments 1-6 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second reservoirs and the first and second spray units are contained in a housing, and the mouthpiece portion is designed to be removable from the housing and replaceable.

The example implementation option 8: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of the exemplary embodiments 1-7 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second reservoirs are located on opposite sides of the aerosol exit path.

Exemplary embodiment 9: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-8 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second spray units are located on opposite sides of the aerosol exit path.

Exemplary embodiment 10: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-9 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second spray units are positioned at an angle to each other and to the aerosol exit path.

Exemplary embodiment 11: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-10 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the surface of each of the first and second spray assemblies forms an angle with respect to the aerosol exit path.

Exemplary embodiment 12: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-11 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the angle formed by the surface of each of the first and second spray units is greater than 45 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

Exemplary embodiment 13: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-12 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first particle size is less than about 4 microns.

Exemplary embodiment 14: The aerosol delivery device of any one of exemplary embodiments 1-13 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second particle size is greater than about 4 microns.

Exemplary embodiment 15: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-14 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second particle size is from about 4 microns to about 15 microns.

The example implementation option 16 is given: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of the exemplary embodiments 1-15 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second spray units are configured to generate the first and second aerosols substantially simultaneously.

The example implementation option 17: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of the exemplary embodiments 1-16 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first spray unit is configured to generate a first aerosol after the second spray unit is configured to generate a second aerosol.

The example implementation option 18: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of the exemplary embodiments 1-17 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first and second spray units are independently controllable by a control component.

The example implementation option 19: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-18 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the first liquid composition comprises an aqueous liquid that includes nicotine.

The example implementation option 20 is given: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of exemplary embodiments 1-19 or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second liquid composition comprises a pulmonary surfactant.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from reading the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four or more of the above embodiments, as well as combinations of two, three, four or more features or elements set forth in the present description, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The present invention is intended to be read as a whole, such that any individual features or elements of the disclosed invention in any of its aspects and embodiments should be considered as combinable unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

To facilitate understanding of aspects of the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale and in which like elements have like reference numbers. The drawings are provided by way of example to facilitate understanding of aspects of the present disclosure and should not be considered as limiting the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A is a schematic side view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a schematic side view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention;

FIG. 3C is a schematic side view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3D is a schematic side view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention;

FIG. 3E is a schematic side view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3F is a schematic side view of a portion of a spray assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a portion of an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure of the present invention is described in more detail below with reference to examples of its implementations. These exemplary embodiments are described in such a way that this disclosure thoroughly, completely and fully conveys the scope of the invention to a person skilled in the art. Of course, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be considered as limited to the embodiments described herein; rather, these embodiments are presented in such a way that the present invention satisfies the relevant legal requirements. In this description and in the appended claims, grammatical constructions indicating the singular also include the plural, unless the context of the invention clearly dictates otherwise.

As described below, embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention relate to aerosol delivery devices or vaporization devices, wherein these terms are used interchangeably herein. Aerosol delivery devices according to the disclosure of the present invention use electrical energy to vaporize a material (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent and/or without significantly chemically changing the material) to form an inhalable substance; and the components of such devices are in the form of articles that are most preferably sufficiently compact to be considered portable devices. In other words, use of components of some aerosol delivery devices does not result in the formation of smoke, i.e., from by-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, use of such systems results in the formation of vapors formed during the vaporization of an aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments, components of aerosol delivery devices can be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and said electronic cigarettes most preferably include tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco, and thus deliver components derived from tobacco in the form of an aerosol. However, it will be understood that the devices according to various embodiments can be used to deliver active ingredients other than nicotine and/or tobacco components. Other examples include delivery devices for botanical ingredients (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan) and/or pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins such as B6, B12 and C and cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

Aerosol delivery devices can provide a variety of sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes and aromas, organoleptic effects, physical sensation, rituals of use, visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or smoking pipe that are caused by lighting and burning tobacco (and then inhaling the tobacco smoke) without any significant combustion of any of their components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to the disclosure of the present invention can hold and use this device in a manner similar to how a smoker uses a traditional type of smoking article, by inhaling through one end of said device to inhale the aerosol generated by this device, performing or performing puffs at selected intervals, and the like.

The aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may also be characterized as vapor-forming articles or drug delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices may be adapted to deliver one or more substances (e.g., flavoring agents and/or pharmaceutical active ingredients) in a form or state suitable for inhalation. For example, the inhalable substances may be substantially in the form of a vapor (e.g., a substance that is in the gaseous phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substances may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is intended to refer to vapors, gases and aerosols of a form or type that are suitable for inhalation by a person, regardless of whether they are or are not visible and have or do not have a shape that can be considered "smoke-like".

Aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure most preferably comprise some combination of a power source (e.g., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the supply of power to generate heat, such as by controlling the flow of electric current from the power source to other components of the article - such as a microcontroller or a microprocessor), a spray unit, a liquid composition (e.g., typically a liquid aerosol precursor composition capable of forming an aerosol, such as ingredients commonly referred to as "smoke juice," "e-liquid," and "e-juice"), and a mouthpiece or mouthpiece region for allowing a puff to be taken through the aerosol delivery device to inhale the aerosol (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article such that the generated aerosol can be expelled therefrom upon puffing).

The alignment of the components within the aerosol delivery device may vary. In specific embodiments, the liquid composition may be located between two opposite ends of the device (e.g., within a reservoir of the device, which in certain circumstances may be replaceable and disposable or reusable). However, other configurations are not excluded. In general, the components are configured relative to each other such that energy from the spray unit vaporizes the liquid composition (as well as one or more flavors, medications, and the like, which may also be provided for delivery to the user) and forms an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the spray unit vaporizes the aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol is formed, released, or produced in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the above terms are to be considered interchangeable, so that forms of the said term such as "release, releases, releases or released" include forms such as "form or create, formation or creation, forms or creates and formed or created". In particular, the inhalable substance is released as a vapor or aerosol or a mixture thereof.

More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components in aerosol delivery devices according to the present invention will be apparent in light of the further disclosure of the invention presented below. In addition, the selection and arrangement of various components of aerosol delivery devices may be understood by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as those representative products referenced in the "Background of the Invention" section of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an aerosol delivery device 100 comprising a mouthpiece portion 102 and a housing 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the mouthpiece portion 102 can be aligned to be operative with the housing 104 permanently or detachably. In some embodiments, for example, the mouthpiece portion and the housing can comprise one part, while in other embodiments the connection between them can be detachable, so that, for example, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion can be reused and/or can be disposable and/or reusable. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may not be linearly aligned with the housing, for example, in embodiments in which the mouthpiece portion and the housing are located adjacent to each other. In various embodiments, various means of interaction may be used to connect the mouthpiece portion and the housing. For example, in some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion and the housing may be connected by one or more of an interaction by means of a lock fit, an interaction by means of a tight fit, an interaction with interference, a threaded interaction, a bayonet connection, a magnetic interaction, and the like. In some embodiments, the housing may include a chamber configured to receive at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may include a chamber configured to receive at least a portion of the housing. In some embodiments, an electrical connection may be created between the mouthpiece portion and the housing. In some embodiments, such an electrical connection may exist due to one or more components of the connecting elements. Thus, the corresponding electrical contacts in the mouthpiece portion and the housing may be substantially aligned after connection to provide an electrical connection. It should be noted that the components shown in this and other figures are representative of the components that may be present in the housing and/or mouthpiece portion and are not intended to limit the scope of the housing and/or mouthpiece portion components encompassed by the present disclosure. Certain examples of mechanical and electrical connections between components of aerosol delivery devices are described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/386,940, filed April 17, 2019, and entitled Connectors for Forming Electrical and Mechanical Connections Between Interchangeable Units in an Aerosol Delivery System, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other connectors are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In various embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may have various shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may be substantially rod-shaped or substantially tubular in shape or substantially cylindrical in shape. However, in other embodiments, other shapes and sizes are possible (e.g., rectangular, oval, hexagonal, prismatic, regular or irregular polygonal shapes, disc-shaped, cubic, polyhedral shapes, or the like). For the purposes of the present invention, it should be noted that the term "substantially" should be understood to mean approximately and/or within a certain degree of manufacturing tolerance, as will be understood by one skilled in the art.

In particular embodiments, one or both of the housing or the mouthpiece may be disposable or reusable. For example, in some embodiments, the housing may include a power source. In some embodiments, the power source may comprise a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery and thus may be combined with any type of recharging technology, including connection to a wall charger, connection to a vehicle charger (e.g., cigarette lighter socket, USB port, etc.), connection to a computer, any of which may include a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type C), connection to a USB connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type C, which may be implemented in a wall electrical outlet, an electronic device, a vehicle, etc.), connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes referred to as a solar photovoltaic cell) or to a solar panel of solar photovoltaic cells, or to a wireless charger, such as a charger that uses inductive wireless charging (including, for example, wireless charging in accordance with the Qi wireless charging standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)) or a wireless radio frequency (RF) charger and connecting to an array of external cell(s), such as a power bank, to charge the device via a USB connector or a wireless charger. Examples of inductive wireless charging systems are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0112196 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the power source may comprise a photovoltaic system. In additional embodiments, the power source may also comprise a capacitor. Capacitors may discharge faster than batteries and may be charged between puffs, allowing the battery to discharge into the capacitor at a slower rate than if it were used to directly power the heating element. For example, a supercapacitor - such as an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) - may be used separately from or in combination with the battery. When used alone, the supercapacitor can be charged before each use of the product. Thus, the device may also include a charging component that can be attached to the smoking article between uses to replenish the supercapacitor. Examples of energy sources that include supercapacitors are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0112191 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Referring to FIG. 1, the housing 104 of the illustrated embodiment includes a control component 106 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB), an integrated circuit, a memory component, a microcontroller, and the like) and a power source, such as a battery 108. Additional components may also be included, such as, for example, one or more sensors (e.g., one or more flow sensors), one or more indicators (e.g., one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs)), one or more input elements (e.g., one or more buttons), and the like. Some examples of types of electronic components, their structures and configurations, their features, and their general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0230117 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0060554 to Collet et al. etc., in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0270727 to Ampolini et al., and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0257445 to Henry et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Some examples of batteries that may be applicable to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0028766 to Peckerar et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, additional indicators (e.g., a haptic feedback component, an audible feedback component, or the like) may be included in addition to or as an alternative to the LED. Additional representative types of components that provide visual signals or indicators, such as light emitting diode components, and their construction and use are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., 8,499,766 to Newton, and 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0020825 to Galloway et al. and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0216233 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. It should be understood that not all illustrated elements may be required in various embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the LED may be omitted or may be replaced with another indicator, such as a vibration indicator. Similarly, the flow sensor can be replaced by a manual actuator, such as one or more manually operated push buttons.

In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 104 also includes a first liquid reservoir 110A that is configured to contain a first liquid composition 112A and a second liquid reservoir 110B that is configured to contain a second liquid composition 112B. In some embodiments, the first and second liquid reservoirs may be a part of the housing (such as, for example, a part comprising a molded element of the housing), while in other embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid reservoirs may comprise a separate part. In some embodiments, the first and second reservoirs may comprise one or more refillable liquid reservoirs. Thus, in some embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid reservoirs may be reusable. However, in other embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid reservoirs may be disposable. In some embodiments, at least one of the liquid reservoirs may comprise an independent container (for example, formed by walls that are substantially impermeable to the liquid composition). In some embodiments, the walls of at least one of the fluid reservoirs may be flexible and/or collapsible, while in other embodiments, the walls of at least one of the fluid reservoirs may be substantially rigid. Some examples of types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting a liquid composition are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Also, various absorbent materials, as well as the design and operation of these absorbent materials in certain types of electronic cigarettes, are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion may be made of a polymeric material, which in further embodiments may be at least partially transparent or translucent. In some embodiments, such materials may include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate, acrylic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), amorphous copolyester (PETG), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), liquid silicone rubber (LSR), cyclic olefin copolymers, polyethylene (PE), ionomer resin, polypropylene (PP), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), styrene methyl methacrylate (SMMA), styrene acrylonitrile resin (SAN), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and combinations thereof. Other materials may include, for example, biodegradable polymers such as, but not limited to, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and polybutylene succinate (PBS). In some embodiments, the casing and/or the mouthpiece may be made of a metal or composite material. In some embodiments, the casing and/or the mouthpiece may be made of another material that may be at least partially transparent or translucent. Such materials may include, for example, glass or ceramic materials.

In various embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid compositions may comprise an aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise tobacco or components derived from tobacco. In one embodiment, the tobacco may be in the form of tobacco pieces or pieces, such as finely divided, ground, or powdered tobacco lamina. Tobacco balls, pellets, or other solid forms may be included, such as described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0335070 to Sears et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another embodiment, the tobacco may be in the form of an extract, such as a spray-dried extract, that includes many of the water-soluble components of tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco extracts may be in the form of relatively high nicotine extracts that also contain minor amounts of other extracted components derived from tobacco. In another respect, tobacco-derived components may be provided in a relatively pure form, such as certain flavoring substances that are derived from tobacco. In one respect, a component that is derived from tobacco and that can be used in a highly purified or substantially pure form is nicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical grade nicotine, USP/EP nicotine, etc.). In other embodiments, only non-tobacco materials may form the aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine extracted from tobacco with tobacco or non-tobacco flavorings and/or nicotine not extracted from tobacco with tobacco or non-tobacco flavorings.

In some embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid compositions, sometimes also referred to as an aerosol precursor composition, a vapor precursor composition, or an "e-liquid," may comprise various components, which may include, by way of example, a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract, and/or flavorings. Some examples of the types of aerosol precursor components and compositions are also known and described in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 to Robinson and in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al.; 2013/0213417 to Chong; and 2014/0060554 to Collett et al.; 2015/0020823 to Lipowicz et al.; and No. 2015/0020830 to Koller, and WO 2014/182736 to Bowen et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include aerosol precursors that are included in the VUSE® products of R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company, the BLU™ products of Fontem Ventures B.V., the MISTIC MENTHOL product of Mistic Ecigs, the MARK TEN products of Nu Mark LLC, the JUUL product of Juul Labs, Inc., and the VYPE products of CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable are the so-called "smoke juices" for electronic cigarettes that are available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC. Other additional examples of aerosol precursor compositions are sold under the trademarks BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, THE MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, THE VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, THE STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR. CRIMMY’S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT. BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN.

In some embodiments, the amount of aerosol precursor included in the aerosol delivery system is such that the aerosol generating device has acceptable sensory and desired performance characteristics. For example, a sufficient amount of aerosol forming material (e.g., water, glycerin, and/or propylene glycol) can be used to ensure the generation of a visible primary aerosol, which in many ways resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke. The amount of aerosol precursor within the aerosol generating system can depend on factors such as the number of puffs desired on the aerosol generating device. In one or more embodiments, about 1 ml or more, about 2 ml or more, about 5 ml or more, or about 10 ml or more of the aerosol precursor composition can be included.

In some examples described above, the aerosol precursor composition comprises a glycerin-based liquid. However, in other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may be an aqueous liquid. In some embodiments, the aqueous liquid may be comprised of more than about 80% water. For example, in some embodiments, the percentage of water in the aqueous liquid may be in the range of about 90% to about 93%, inclusive. In some embodiments, the aqueous liquid may include up to about 10% propylene glycol. For example, in some embodiments, the percentage of propylene glycol in the aqueous liquid may be in the range of about 4% to about 5%, inclusive. In some embodiments, the aqueous liquid may contain up to about 10% flavoring. For example, in some embodiments, the percentage of flavoring(s) of the aqueous liquid may be in the range of about 3% to about 7%, inclusive. In some embodiments, the aqueous liquid may contain up to about 3% nicotine. For example, in some embodiments, the percentage of nicotine in the aqueous liquid may be in the range of about 0.1% to about 0.3%, inclusive. In some embodiments, the aqueous liquid may contain up to about 10% cyclodextrin. For example, in some embodiments, the percentage of cyclodextrin in the aqueous liquid may be in the range of about 3% to 5%, inclusive. In still other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may be a combination of a glycerin-based liquid and an aqueous liquid. For example, some embodiments may contain up to about 50% water and less than about 20% glycerin. The remaining components may include one or more of propylene glycol, flavors, nicotine, cyclodextrin, and the like. Some examples of aqueous liquid compositions that may be suitable are disclosed in GB 1817863.2, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817864.0, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817867.3, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817865.7 , filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817859.0, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817866.5, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817861.6, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Gel and Crystalline Powder ; GB 1817862.4, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; GB 1817868.1, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation ; and GB 1817860.8, filed on 1 November 2018, entitled Aerosolisable Formulation , each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise nicotine, which may be present in varying concentrations. The source of nicotine may vary, and the nicotine included in the aerosol precursor composition may be from a single source or a combination of two or more sources. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise nicotine obtained from tobacco. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine obtained from other organic plant sources, such as, for example, non-tobacco plant sources, including plants of the Solanaceae family. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise synthetic nicotine. In some embodiments, the nicotine included in the aerosol precursor composition may be obtained from non-tobacco plant sources, such as other members of the Solanaceae family. The aerosol precursor composition may additionally or alternatively include other active ingredients, including, but not limited to, botanical ingredients (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis, ginseng, maca and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan) and/or pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins such as B6, B12 and C and cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

As noted above, in various embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid compositions may comprise a flavoring agent. As used herein, the term "flavoring agent" refers to compounds or components that can be sprayed and delivered to a user and that convey sensory sensations in terms of taste and/or aroma. Examples of flavoring agents include, but are not limited to, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (such as apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and citrus flavors including lime and lemon, mango and other citrus flavors), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, rosemary, hibiscus, rose hips, mate, gaiusa, honeybush, rooibos, amaretto, mojito, californica, ginseng, chamomile, turmeric, bacopa monnieri, ginkgo biloba, withania somnifera, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarola, cocoa, licorice, and flavoring agents and additives of the type and nature traditionally used to flavor cigarette, cigar, and pipe tobacco. Other examples include flavors derived from or imitating Burley, Oriental, flue-cured tobacco, and the like. Syrups, such as high fructose corn syrup, may also be used. Examples of plant-derived compositions that may be useful are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0152265 to Dube et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The selection of such additional components will vary depending on factors such as the sensory characteristics desired in a smoking article, and the present invention encompasses any such additional components that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See, for example, Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972), and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. It should be noted that reference to a flavoring agent need not be limited to any one flavoring agent as described above, and may in fact be a combination of one or more flavoring agents.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the first liquid composition 112A of the illustrated embodiment is in fluid communication (either directly or through one or more additional components) with at least a portion of the first atomization assembly 115A. Similarly, the second liquid composition 112B of the illustrated embodiment is in fluid communication (either directly or through one or more additional components) with at least a portion of the second atomization assembly 115B. Although in other embodiments the first and second atomization assemblies may have a variety of different configurations, in the illustrated embodiment the first and second atomization assemblies 115A, 115B have a common substantially flat shape or dome-shaped shape, and each atomization assembly 115A, 115B includes a surface that forms a substantially right angle with respect to the aerosol exit path 120. In various embodiments, the spray units may be fluidly coupled to respective portions of the liquid compositions such that the spray units generate an aerosol from the respective liquid compositions. In the illustrated embodiment, one or more electrical connections 116A, 116B connect the spray units 115A, 115B to the control component 106 and/or the battery 108. Thus, the spray units 115A, 115B of the illustrated embodiment may be powered by the battery 108 and/or the control component 106 (e.g., to cause a component of the spray unit to vibrate at a relatively high speed). Some examples of electronic/control components that may be applicable to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0014819 to Sur, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As noted, in some embodiments, the fluid communication between the liquid composition and the corresponding spray unit may be direct. However, in other embodiments, the fluid communication between the liquid composition and the corresponding spray unit may be indirect. In various embodiments, indirect fluid communication may occur, for example, by transporting (for example, through a liquid transfer element) and/or depositing (for example, through a micropump or spray device) the liquid composition onto a portion of the spray unit. In some embodiments, at least one of the liquid reservoirs may be substantially sealed to prevent the liquid composition from escaping therefrom, except for any specific openings or channels specifically designed to allow the liquid composition to pass, for example, through one or more transfer elements, as otherwise described herein.

In various embodiments, the liquid transfer element may have one layer or multiple layers and may be made of one material or multiple materials. In various embodiments, the liquid transfer element may be of any shape and may be a porous, semi-porous or non-porous absorbent/adsorbent material. In other embodiments, there may be a second liquid transfer element located between the first liquid transfer element and the liquid reservoir, wherein the second liquid transfer element is configured to transfer liquid from the liquid reservoir to the first liquid transfer element. Thus, the first liquid transfer element may not be in direct contact with the liquid in the liquid reservoir. In various embodiments, the second liquid transfer element may be made of the same material or a material that differs from the first liquid transfer element, and may have a shape that is the same or different from the shape of the first liquid transfer element. For example, in some embodiments, the fluid transfer element may be made of fibrous materials (e.g., organic cotton, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose fabric, fiberglass), polymers, silk, particles, porous ceramics (e.g., aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, zirconium, SiC, SiN, AlN, and the like), porous metals, porous carbon, graphite, porous glass, sintered glass beads, sintered ceramic beads, capillary tubes, porous polymers, or the like. In some embodiments, the fluid transfer element may be any material that contains a network of open pores (i.e., a plurality of pores that are interconnected such that a fluid can flow from one pore to another in a plurality of directions through the element). The pores may be nanopores, micropores, macropores, or combinations thereof. As further described herein, some embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention may particularly relate to the use of non-fibrous transfer elements. Thus, fibrous transport elements may be expressly excluded. Alternatively, combinations of fibrous transport elements and non-fibrous transport elements may be used. In some embodiments, the liquid transport element may be a substantially solid, non-porous material, such as a polymer or dense ceramics or metals, configured to direct liquid through openings or crevices without necessarily relying on capillary action. Such a solid body may be used in combination with a porous absorbent pad. The absorbent pad may be formed from silica fibers, organic cotton, viscose fibers, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose fabric, highly porous ceramic or metal mesh, and the like. Some representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting an aerosol precursor are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton; in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261487 to Chapman et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0059780 to Davis et al.; and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Also, various absorbent materials, as well as the design and operation of these absorbent materials in certain types of electronic cigarettes, are taught in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the fluid transfer member may be formed partially or completely from a porous monolith, such as a porous ceramic, porous glass, or the like. Examples of monolithic materials suitable for use in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0188626 to Davis et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0123989 to LaMothe, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In some embodiments, a porous monolith may form a substantially solid wick.

In some embodiments, the end of the liquid transfer element may be configured to be positioned near the spray unit and the liquid composition in the reservoir so that the liquid transfer element acts as a secondary reservoir that absorbs or adsorbs liquid from the reservoir so that the mesh plate is in contact with the liquid composition even if there is no more liquid in the reservoir. Thus, the liquid transfer element is configured to facilitate the delivery of the liquid composition to the spray unit.

In some embodiments, the liquid composition may be passed through a component of the spray assembly, which results in the formation of a plurality of aerosol particles. Similarly, in other embodiments, vibration of the component of the spray assembly may create ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition and/or surface acoustic waves in the liquid composition, which result in the formation of an aerosol on the surface of the liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition may be applied and/or transferred to the component of the spray assembly to create an aerosol.

In various embodiments, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion may include one or more air inlets (not shown) that may comprise one or more openings that allow air from the environment to pass into the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion. In some embodiments, the air inlet may draw air into and/or around one or more spray units, where it may be mixed with the vaporizable liquid composition to contain the aerosol that is delivered to the user. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the air inlet does not necessarily have to be adjacent to the housing and in some embodiments may be located downstream of the one or more spray units. As noted, in some embodiments, the one or more air inlets may be formed through the mouthpiece portion (e.g., such that it does not enter the housing) or some other part of the aerosol delivery device. It should be noted that some embodiments do not necessarily have to include a mouthpiece portion and/or the mouthpiece portion may be formed as a single piece with the casing.

In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may also include at least one electronic component, which may include an integrated circuit, a memory component, a sensor, or the like, although such a component need not be included. In some embodiments that include such a component, the electronic component may be configured to communicate with the control component of the housing and/or with an external device by wired or wireless means. In various embodiments, the electronic component of the mouthpiece portion may be located anywhere in the mouthpiece portion.

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may include at least one flow sensor, which may include a component other than the control component. In other embodiments, the control component and the flow sensor may be combined on an electronic circuit board with an air flow sensor attached directly thereto. Some examples of air flow sensors that may be applicable to the disclosure of the present invention are described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/260,901, filed January 29, 2019, assigned to Sur, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board or other main element to which it can be attached. In some embodiments, a flexible circuit board may be used. The flexible circuit board may be formed in various shapes, including substantially tubular shapes. Printed circuit board and pressure sensor configurations are, for example, described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0245658 to Worm et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additional types of sensing and detecting mechanisms, their designs and configurations, their components, and general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT Publication No. WO 2010/003480 to Flick, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In some embodiments, when the user puffs on the device, the air flow can be detected by the sensor, and one or both of the spray units 115A, 115B can be activated to vaporize the respective liquid compositions. As noted above, in some embodiments, performing a puff on the mouth end of the device causes air from the environment to enter the device. The drawn air can then combine with the generated vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol can then be entrained, sucked or otherwise diverted from the spray units and from the opening 118 in the mouth end of the device along the path 120 for the aerosol to exit. In other embodiments, in the absence of an air flow sensor, one or both of the spray units can be manually activated, for example, by means of one or more push buttons (not shown). In addition, in some embodiments, air can be drawn in through the mouth part and/or through the housing, and/or between the mouth part and the housing. It should be noted that in some embodiments, one or more components may be provided between one or both of the spray units and the opening in the mouth end of the device. For example, in some embodiments, one or more heating components may be located downstream of one or both of the spray units. In various embodiments, the heating component may comprise any device having any shape and/or configuration configured to increase the temperature of the generated aerosol, including, for example, one or more heating components in the form of a coil, ceramic heating components, and the like.

In some embodiments, one or more input elements may be included in the aerosol delivery device (and may replace or supplement the air flow sensor, pressure sensor, or manual button). In various embodiments, an input element may be included to allow a user to control functions of the device and/or to output information to the user. Any component or combination of components may be used as an input for controlling a function of the device. For example, one or more push buttons may be used as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0245658 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Similarly, a touch screen may be used as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0262454 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As a further example, components configured to recognize gestures based on predetermined movements of the aerosol delivery device may be used as an input device. See US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0158782 to Henry et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As another example, a capacitive sensor may be implemented on an aerosol delivery device to allow a user to provide input, such as by touching a surface of the device on which the capacitive sensor is implemented.

In some embodiments, the data input element may comprise a computer or a computing device, such as a smartphone or a tablet. In particular, the aerosol delivery device may be connected to the computer or other device via wires, such as by using a USB cord or a similar protocol. The aerosol delivery device may also communicate with the computer or other device acting as the data input device via wireless communication. See, for example, the systems and methods for controlling a device via a read request, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0007561 to Ampolini et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In such embodiments, an application or other computer program may be used in conjunction with a computer or other computing device to input control commands to the aerosol delivery device, wherein such control commands include, for example, the ability to form an aerosol of a certain composition by selecting the nicotine content and/or the content of additional flavors to be included.

Other features, controls, or components that may be included in aerosol delivery systems according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0163063 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0298905 to Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261408 to DePiano et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In various embodiments, one or both of the nebulization assemblies may comprise a plurality of different components or devices configured to form an aerosol from the liquid composition. For example, in some embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise a jet nebulizer assembly that may be configured to use compressed air to form an aerosol. In other embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise an ultrasonic assembly that may be configured to use the generation of ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition to form an aerosol. In other embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise a vibrating mesh assembly that may comprise a piezoelectric material (e.g., a piezoelectric ceramic material) attached to and substantially surrounding a mesh plate (e.g., a perforated plate, such as a microperforated mesh plate) that vibrates within the liquid composition or near the surface of the liquid composition to form an aerosol. In yet other embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise a surface acoustic wave (SAW) assembly or a Roley wave assembly that may use surface wave characteristics to form an aerosol on the surface of the liquid composition. It should be noted that for the purposes of the present application, the ultrasonic unit may be any unit designed to generate ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition. In some embodiments, for example, a vibrating mesh unit may also operate as an ultrasonic unit.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the first reservoir 110A contains a first liquid composition 112A, and the second reservoir 110B contains a second liquid composition 112B. Although in various embodiments the first and second liquid compositions may contain any of the liquid compositions or any combination of liquid compositions described above, in the illustrated embodiment the first and second reservoirs 110A, 110B contain respective first and second liquid compositions 112A, 112B that are different from one another. Additionally, although in some embodiments the spray units may generate aerosols having substantially the same particle size, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the first and second spray units 115A, 115B are configured to generate respective aerosols having particle sizes that are different from one another. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the first liquid composition 112A comprises a water-based liquid composition without a flavoring agent, which includes water and nicotine and may further include lower concentrations of other components, including, for example, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, ethyl alcohol, and the like. The first atomization unit 115A of the illustrated embodiment comprises a first vibration unit, which is configured to generate aerosol particles of a size less than about 4 microns. In the illustrated embodiment, the second liquid composition 112B comprises a liquid composition that includes a pulmonary surfactant, including, but not limited to, various phospholipids, dipalmitoylphosphatidylchloride (DPPC), surfactant proteins (SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, SP-D, etc.), neutral lipids (cholesterol), and may further include lower concentrations of other components, including, for example, water, ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and the like. In some embodiments, flavor additives soluble in the surfactant may be added to this liquid. In embodiments, the viscosity and other properties of the liquid composition can be controlled and adjusted by adding other compatible solvents. The second nebulization unit 115B of the illustrated embodiment comprises a second vibration unit that is configured to generate aerosol particles greater than 4 microns in size. For example, in some embodiments, the second vibration unit may be configured to generate aerosol particles of a size from about 4 microns to about 10 microns. In some embodiments, the second vibration unit may be configured to generate aerosol particles of a size from about 4 microns to about 15 microns.

An example of a spray assembly, which in some embodiments may represent one or both of the spray assemblies of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, is shown in FIG. 2. In particular, FIG. 2 shows a spray assembly 215 that includes a vibrating component 217 and a mesh plate 219. In other embodiments, additional components may be included. For example, in some embodiments, a support component may be included that is located on the side of the mesh plate opposite the vibrating component (e.g., such that the mesh plate is clamped between the support component and the vibrating component). Although other configurations are possible, in some embodiments, the support component may comprise a support ring. In various embodiments, the support component may be made of any suitable material, including, without limitation, polymeric, metallic and/or ceramic materials. Thus, in some embodiments, the support component may increase the durability of the mesh plate. In some embodiments, the support component may be replaceable, while in other embodiments, the support component may be attached to the mesh plate and/or the vibrating component. In some embodiments, an auxiliary component may be used that is located between the mesh plate and the vibrating component. Although other configurations are possible, in some embodiments, the auxiliary component may comprise an auxiliary ring. In various embodiments, the auxiliary component may be made of any suitable material, including, without limitation, polymeric, metallic and/or ceramic materials. Thus, the auxiliary component may facilitate interfacial contact of the components. In some embodiments, the auxiliary component may be replaceable, while in other embodiments, the auxiliary component may be attached to the mesh plate and/or the vibration component.

In some embodiments, the vibrating component and the mesh plate may be permanently attached to each other, such as by fastening the components together with an adhesive, such as, for example, epoxy or other adhesive, or by ultrasonic welding, mechanical fasteners, and the like, while in other embodiments, the vibrating component and the mesh plate may not be permanently attached to each other. Rather, they may be separable and held in contact with each other or forced into contact. In various embodiments, the mesh plate may have a variety of different configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the mesh plate may have a substantially flat profile. In other embodiments, the mesh plate may have a substantially dome-shaped shape, which may be concave or convex with respect to the reservoir and/or the liquid composition. In other embodiments, the mesh plate may comprise a substantially flat portion and a dome-shaped portion. In various embodiments, the mesh plate may be made of a variety of different materials. In some embodiments, the mesh plate may be made of a metallic material, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel, palladium-nickel, or titanium. In other embodiments, the mesh plate may be made of a polymer material, such as, for example, a polyimide polymer. In still other embodiments, the mesh plate may be made of a combination of materials.

In various embodiments, the design of one or both of the first or second atomization assemblies may vary. For example, FIGS. 3A - 3F show exemplary embodiments of various atomization assemblies. In some embodiments, one or both of the first or second atomization assemblies of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may have one of these configurations. It should be noted that in some embodiments, both of the first and second atomization assemblies may have the same configuration, while in other embodiments, the first and second atomization assemblies may have different configurations. In particular, FIG. 3A shows a atomization assembly comprising a piezoelectric ring 217A attached to and substantially surrounding a mesh plate 219A. FIG. 3B shows a atomization assembly comprising a mesh plate 219B located between two portions of the piezoelectric ring 217B. 3C shows a spray unit comprising a piezoelectric ring 217C attached to a mesh plate 219C and substantially surrounding it, wherein at least a portion of the mesh plate 219C is curved. FIG. 3D shows a spray unit comprising a mesh plate 219D located between two portions of the piezoelectric ring 217D, wherein at least a portion of the mesh plate 219D is curved. FIG. 3E shows a spray unit comprising a piezoelectric ring 217E attached to one side of the mesh plate 219E and substantially surrounding it, wherein the other side of the mesh plate 219E includes a metal ring 221E substantially surrounding it and attached to it. FIG. 3F shows a spray unit comprising a mesh plate 219F, one side of which includes a metal ring 221F substantially surrounding it and attached to it, wherein the mesh plate 219F and the metal ring 221F are located between two parts of the piezoelectric ring 217F. It should be noted that in other embodiments, one or both of the spray units according to the disclosure of the present invention should not be limited to these configurations.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the mesh plate 219 of the illustrated embodiment includes a plurality of perforations. In some embodiments, the perforations may be formed by circular openings in the surfaces of the plate. In other embodiments, the perforations may be formed by non-circular openings in the surfaces of the plate, such as, for example, oval, rectangular, triangular, polygonal openings of regular or irregular shape. In various embodiments, the perforations may be created using a variety of different methods, including, but not limited to, using a laser (e.g., a femtosecond laser) or by electrodeposition (e.g., lithography or focused ion beams) or by using focused ion or electron beams with high or low energy. In various embodiments, the shapes formed in the plate by the perforations may vary. For example, in some embodiments, the shapes formed in the plate by the perforations may be substantially cylindrical. In other embodiments, the shapes formed in the plate by the perforations may be substantially conical (e.g., have a truncated conical shape forming smaller holes on one surface of the plate and larger holes on the opposite surface of the plate). In other embodiments, the shapes formed in the plate by the perforations may be tetragonal or pyramidal. It is believed that in some embodiments, substantially conical perforations may increase the performance of the mesh when spraying the liquid composition. Although any orientation of the mesh plate may be used, in some embodiments with perforations forming substantially conical shapes in the plate, the larger holes may be located near the surface of the liquid composition, and the smaller holes may form an aerosol exit region. In some embodiments with perforations having substantially conical shapes, the smaller holes may have a size in the range of from about 1 micron to about 10 microns inclusive, with an average size of from about 2 microns to about 5 microns. In other embodiments, the smaller openings may have a size in the range of about several hundred nanometers to about 4 microns, with an average size of about 2 microns to about 3.1 microns. In other embodiments, the smaller end may have a size in the range of about several hundred nanometers to about 2 microns, with an average size of about 1 micron. In some embodiments, the larger openings may have a size in the range of about 10 microns to about 60 microns inclusive, with an average size of about 20 microns to about 30 microns. In other embodiments, the larger openings may have a size in the range of about 5 microns to about 20 microns inclusive, with an average size of about 10 microns. In some embodiments, the size of the perforations may be substantially uniform over the entire perforated portion of the plate; however, in other embodiments, the size of the perforations may vary. Thus, the formed aerosol may have aerosol droplets of different sizes. For example, in some embodiments, the perforations may be larger in one part of the plate and smaller in another part of the plate. Such parts may include, for example, the center of the plate and the periphery of the plate or alternating rings that extend radially from the center of the plate.

In various embodiments, the mesh plate may have any number of perforations. In some embodiments, for example, the number of perforations in the mesh plate may be in the range from about 200 to about 6000 inclusive, wherein the average number of perforations is from about 1100 to about 2500. In other embodiments, the number of perforations in the mesh plate may be in the range from about 400 to about 1000 inclusive. In various embodiments, the thickness of the vibrating component and the thickness of the mesh plate may vary. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the mesh plate may be in the range from several microns to several millimeters. In various embodiments, the overall diameter of the mesh plate may vary. For example, in some embodiments, the overall diameter of the mesh plate may be in the range from about several millimeters to about 30 millimeters inclusive. In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the vibrating component may be larger than the overall diameter of the mesh plate. In other embodiments, the outer diameter of the vibrating component can have substantially the same size as the overall diameter of the mesh plate. In yet other embodiments, the outer diameter of the vibrating component can be smaller than the overall diameter of the mesh plate. In various embodiments, the diameter of the perforated region can be smaller than the overall diameter of the mesh plate. For example, in some embodiments, the diameter of the perforated region can be in the range from about 1 millimeter to about 20 millimeters inclusive, on average from about 4 millimeters to about 12 millimeters. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the vibrating component can be larger than the diameter of the perforated region of the mesh plate. In other embodiments, the inner diameter of the vibrating component can be substantially the same or smaller than the diameter of the perforated region of the mesh plate. In some embodiments, the thickness of the vibrating component can be in the range from several hundreds of microns to tens of millimeters inclusive. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the vibrating component can be less than 1 millimeter.

In various embodiments, the vibrating component may comprise a piezoelectric component. For example, in various embodiments, the vibrating component may comprise a piezoelectric ring, which in some embodiments may be made of a piezoceramic material. It should be noted that although the illustrated embodiment describes a piezoelectric component in the form of a piezoelectric ring, in other embodiments, the piezoelectric component need not be limited to a ring-shaped object. For example, in some embodiments, the piezoelectric component may have a rectangular, oval, hexagonal, triangular, and regular or irregular polygon shape. In general, piezoceramic materials have piezoelectric properties (e.g., ferroelectric properties), while they are designed to change shape to a small extent (e.g., 1-2 μm in this application) when exposed to an electrical stimulus. This is due to the shift in the crystal structure of the piezoelectric ceramic materials (e.g. from orthorhombic to cubic, or hexagonal to cubic, etc.). As for the piezoelectric ceramic ring, such a change in shape leads to internal deformation and, therefore, shrinkage of the disk, which leads to bending of the disk due to its rigid structure. Since the ring is attached to the mesh plate, the bending of the ring is transferred to the mesh material. When the electric current is disconnected from the piezoelectric ring, the ring and the mesh plate return to their original shape and position. Thus, the continuous change in shape and position will lead to an oscillatory motion, which can be used as a vibration source. In various embodiments, the frequency of the piezoelectric ring can be in the range from several Hz to several MHz. For example, in some embodiments, the frequency of the piezoelectric ring is in the range from about 50 kHz to about 150 kHz inclusive, wherein the average value in one embodiment is about 110 kHz, in another embodiment is about 113 kHz, in another embodiment is about 117 kHz, in another embodiment is about 130 kHz, in another embodiment is about 150 kHz, in another embodiment is about 170 kHz, and in another embodiment is about 250 kHz. In other embodiments, the frequency of the piezoelectric ring is in the range from about 1 MHz to about 5 MHz inclusive, with an average value from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz.

In various embodiments, various piezoelectric materials are possible, including natural or synthetic materials. Some non-limiting examples of natural piezoelectric materials include, for example, quartz, berlinite (AlPO ₄ ), sucrose, Rochelle salt, topaz, tourmaline minerals, lead titanate (PbTiO ₃ ), and collagen. Some non-limiting examples of synthetic materials include, for example, _{( La3Ga5SiO14} ), gallium phosphate, gallium orthophosphate ( _{GaPO4 )} , lithium niobate ( _LiNbO3 ), lithium tantalate ( _LiTaO3 ), AlN, ZnO, barium titanate ( _BaTiO3 ), lead zirconate titanate (Pb[ _{ZrxTi1 −x} ] _O3 ) ₍ also known as PZT), potassium niobate ( _KNbO3 ), sodium tungstate ( _Na2WO3 ), _{Ba2NaNb5O5 , Pb2KNb5O15} , zinc oxide ( _ZnO ), sodium potassium niobate (K,Na _{) NbO3} ) (also known as NKN), bismuth ferrite ( _BiFeO3 ) _, sodium niobate NaNbO ₃ , barium titanate (BaTiO ₃ ), bismuth titanate Bi ₄ Ti ₃ O ₁₂ , sodium titanate and sodium bismuth titanate NaBi(TiO ₃ ) ₂ . In other embodiments, polymers having piezoelectric characteristics can be used, including, but not limited to, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

In various embodiments, a mesh plate of the spray assembly may be in contact with at least a portion of the liquid composition and/or may be located near at least a portion of the liquid composition and/or may receive (e.g., via a delivery mechanism) at least a portion of the liquid composition. Thus, the resulting vibration of the plate forms an aerosol from the liquid composition in contact. In particular, in some embodiments, the liquid composition is passed through a plurality of microperforations, which leads to the formation of a plurality of aerosol particles. Similarly, in other embodiments, such as, for example, embodiments in which the mesh plate is immersed in the liquid composition, the vibration of the plate creates ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition, which lead to the formation of an aerosol on the surface of the liquid composition. As will be described in more detail below, in other embodiments, the liquid composition can be applied and/or transferred to the spray assembly to create an aerosol. In various embodiments, the mesh plate may be made of various materials, including, for example, one or more metallic materials such as titanium, stainless steel, palladium, nickel, and the like, or a polymeric material such as polyimide materials and the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the embodiment shown, one or both of the first or second spray units 115A, 115B can be controlled by the control component 106 and/or the power source 108. Thus, the control of one or both of the first or second spray units 115A, 155B can be automatic or on-demand. In some embodiments, the automatic activation of the first and/or second spray units can be initiated, for example, by pulling on the device by the user. In some embodiments, the on-demand activation of the first and/or second spray units can be activated using an input element, such as, for example, a pressure-activated device (e.g., one or more buttons). In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device can be configured such that the first and second spray units operate independently of each other. Thus, in some examples of exemplary embodiments, only an aerosol containing a first liquid composition may be delivered to the user, while in other examples of exemplary embodiments, only an aerosol containing a second liquid composition may be delivered to the user, while in still other examples of exemplary embodiments, both an aerosol containing a first liquid composition and an aerosol containing a second liquid composition may be delivered to the user. In yet other embodiments, the user may be able to control the amount of aerosol containing the first and/or second liquid compositions that is delivered to the user.

In the illustrated embodiment, the timing of aerosol generation from the first and second spray units 115A, 155B may differ. For example, in some embodiments, the first spray unit may begin generating aerosol some time after the second spray unit begins generating aerosol. In some embodiments, for example, the first spray unit may begin generating aerosol within a fraction of a second (e.g., half a second) after the second spray unit begins generating aerosol (or vice versa). In other embodiments, the time difference may be greater than or less than a fraction of a second. In yet other embodiments, the difference between the initiation of aerosol generation between the first and second spray units may not be time-dependent, but rather may be based on another event, such as, for example, the number of puffs. In some embodiments, the second spray unit may begin generating aerosol several puffs (e.g., 1 to 5 puffs) before the first spray unit begins generating aerosol (or vice versa). It should be noted that in some embodiments, one of the spray units may generate aerosol several times before the other spray unit begins to generate aerosol. For example, in some embodiments, one of the spray units may generate aerosol for the first few puffs (e.g., 1-3 puffs), after which both spray units may generate aerosol one after the other or simultaneously.

In some embodiments, the first spray unit may be configured to generate a first aerosol from a first liquid composition after the second spray unit generates a second aerosol from a second liquid composition, wherein the second liquid composition is different from the first liquid composition, and the first aerosol has smaller particle sizes than the second aerosol. In some of such embodiments, this may facilitate the delivery of the first aerosol to the lungs of the user. For example, if the second liquid composition 112B of the illustrated embodiment includes phospholipid-based molecules having two ends, one of which is hydrophilic and the other is hydrophobic, due to the hydrophilicity at one end and the large particle size, a large portion of the particles will tend to settle in the area of the mouth and throat of the user, wherein their hydrophobic end is directed toward the air path of the user. This early delivery of phospholipid particles may have certain advantages. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the second liquid composition 112B comprises phospholipid-based molecules containing a flavoring agent aerosolized into larger particles that are delivered to the user before the first liquid composition 112A comprising a water-based liquid containing an active ingredient, such as nicotine, aerosolized into smaller particles. In this way, particles from the second liquid composition 112B can be deposited in the throat and mouth area of the user, and the hydrophobic ends of the phospholipid molecule can repel subsequently formed water-based aerosol particles containing nicotine from the first liquid composition 112A. This can lead to an increase in the delivery of particles from the first liquid composition to the lungs of the user.

FIG. 4 shows an aerosol delivery device according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a top view of a portion of the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 4. In particular, FIGS. 4 and 5 show an aerosol delivery device 300 comprising a mouthpiece portion 302 and a housing 304. To facilitate the description of the device, certain portions of the housing 304 have been removed. In FIG. 4, the mouthpiece portion 302 and the housing 304 are shown as transparent. In FIG. 5, the mouthpiece portion 302 has been removed. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece portion 302 can be aligned to provide the ability to operate with the housing 304 permanently or in a detachable manner. In some embodiments, for example, the mouthpiece portion and the housing may comprise one part, while in other embodiments the connection between them may be detachable such that, for example, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion) may be reused and/or may be disposable and/or refillable. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding the mouthpiece portion and the housing, as well as their configurations and variations. In various embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 300 may have various shapes. Reference is also made to the above discussion regarding possible shapes of the aerosol delivery device.

In certain embodiments, one or both of the housing 304 or the mouthpiece 302 may be disposable or reusable. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may comprise a reusable power source. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 304 comprises a control component 306 and a battery 308. In other embodiments, other power sources may be used. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding possible power sources, as well as their configurations and variations. In the illustrated embodiment, the control component 306 may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB), an integrated circuit, a memory component, a microcontroller, or the like. Additional components may also be included. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding the control component and other possible components, including sensors, indicators, input elements, and the like, as well as their configurations and variations.

In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 304 includes a first liquid reservoir 310A configured to contain a first liquid composition 312A and a second liquid reservoir 310B configured to contain a second liquid composition 312B. In some embodiments, the first and second liquid reservoirs may be part of the housing (such as, for example, a part containing a molded element of the housing), while in other embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid reservoirs may comprise a separate part. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device according to the disclosure of the present invention may comprise one or more refillable liquid reservoirs. Thus, in some embodiments, one or both of the first or second liquid reservoirs may be reusable. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding the housing and/or the first and second liquid reservoirs, as well as their configurations and variations. In the embodiment shown, one or both of the first or second liquid compositions 312A, 312B comprises an aerosol precursor composition. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding possible liquid compositions, aerosol precursor compositions and their relative amounts, as well as their configurations and variations.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first liquid reservoir 310A is in fluid communication (either directly or through one or more additional components) with at least a portion of the first spray assembly 315A. Similarly, the second liquid reservoir 310B of the illustrated embodiment is in fluid communication (either directly or through one or more additional components) with at least a portion of the second spray assembly 315B. In some embodiments, at least one of the liquid reservoirs 310A, 310B may comprise an independent container (e.g., formed by walls that are substantially impermeable to the liquid composition). In some embodiments, the walls of at least one of the liquid reservoirs may be flexible and/or collapsible, while in other embodiments, the walls of at least one of the liquid reservoirs may be substantially rigid. In some embodiments, at least one of the liquid reservoirs may be substantially sealed to prevent the liquid composition from escaping therefrom, except for any specific openings or passages specifically designed to allow the liquid composition to pass, such as through one or more transfer elements, as otherwise described herein.

In the illustrated embodiment, one or more electrical connections connect the spray units 315A, 315B to the control component 306 and/or the battery 308. Thus, the spray units 315A, 315B of the illustrated embodiment may be powered by the battery 308 and/or the control component 306 (e.g., to cause the spray unit component to vibrate at a relatively high speed). Some examples of electronic/control components that may be applicable to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0014819 to Sur, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In various embodiments, the spray units may be fluidly coupled to the respective portions of the liquid compositions such that the spray units generate an aerosol from the respective liquid compositions. In various embodiments, the spray units may be directly fluidly coupled to the portion of the respective liquid compositions or indirectly fluidly coupled to the portion of the respective liquid compositions, such as via one or more liquid transfer elements. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding possible liquid transfer elements, as well as their configurations and variations.

In some embodiments, the liquid composition may be passed through a component of the spray assembly, which results in the formation of a plurality of aerosol particles. Similarly, in other embodiments, vibration of the component of the spray assembly may create ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition and/or surface acoustic waves in the liquid composition, which result in the formation of an aerosol on the surface of the liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition may be applied and/or transferred to the component of the spray assembly to create an aerosol.

In various embodiments, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion may include one or more air inlets (not shown) that may comprise one or more openings that allow air from the environment to pass into the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion. In some embodiments, the air inlet may draw air into and/or around one or more spray units, where it may be mixed with the vaporizable liquid composition to contain the aerosol that is delivered to the user. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the air inlet does not necessarily have to be adjacent to the housing and in some embodiments may be located downstream of the one or more spray units. As noted, in some embodiments, the one or more air inlets may be formed through the mouthpiece portion (e.g., such that it does not enter the housing) or some other part of the aerosol delivery device. It should be noted that some embodiments do not necessarily have to include a mouthpiece portion and/or the mouthpiece portion may be formed as a single piece with the casing.

In some embodiments, when the user puffs on the device, the air flow can be detected by the sensor, and one or both of the spray units 315A, 315B can be activated so as to vaporize the corresponding liquid compositions. As noted above, in some embodiments, performing a puff on the mouth end of the device causes air from the environment to enter the device. The drawn air can then combine with the generated vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol can then be entrained, sucked or otherwise diverted from the spray units and from the opening 318 in the mouth end of the device along the path 320 for the aerosol to exit. In other embodiments, in the absence of an air flow sensor, one or both of the spray units can be manually activated, for example, by means of one or more push buttons (not shown). In addition, in some embodiments, air can be drawn in through the mouth part and/or through the housing, and/or between the mouth part and the housing. It should be noted that in some embodiments, one or more components may be provided between one or both of the spray units and the opening in the mouth end of the device. For example, in some embodiments, one or more heating components may be located downstream of one or both of the spray units. In various embodiments, the heating component may comprise any device configured to increase the temperature of the resulting aerosol, including, for example, one or more heating components in the form of a coil, ceramic heating components, and the like.

In various embodiments, one or both of the nebulization assemblies may comprise a plurality of different components or devices configured to form an aerosol from the liquid composition. For example, in some embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise a jet nebulizer assembly that may be configured to use compressed air to form an aerosol. In other embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise an ultrasonic assembly that may be configured to use the generation of ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition to form an aerosol. In other embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise a vibrating mesh assembly that may comprise a piezoelectric material (e.g., a piezoelectric ceramic material) attached to and substantially surrounding a mesh plate (e.g., a perforated plate, such as a microperforated mesh plate) that vibrates within the liquid composition or near the surface of the liquid composition to form an aerosol. In yet other embodiments, the nebulization assembly may comprise a surface acoustic wave (SAW) assembly or a Roley wave assembly that may use surface wave characteristics to form an aerosol on the surface of the liquid composition. It should be noted that for the purposes of the present application, the ultrasonic unit may be any unit configured to generate ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition. In some embodiments, for example, the vibrating mesh unit may also operate as the ultrasonic unit. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding possible spray units, as well as their configurations and variations.

Although in other embodiments the first and second spray units may be substantially collinear and/or substantially parallel to each other, in the embodiment shown the first and second spray units 315A, 315B are arranged at an angle relative to each other. In particular, the first spray unit 315A and the second spray unit 315B of the embodiment shown are formed at an angle relative to each other and to the aerosol outlet path 320. Although in other embodiments the first and second spray units may have a plurality of different configurations, in the embodiment shown the first and second spray units 315A, 315B have a common substantially flat shape, and each spray unit 315A, 315B includes a surface that forms an angle relative to the aerosol outlet path 320 such that the aerosol thus formed is directed toward the aerosol outlet path 320. In various embodiments, the angle formed by the first or second spray unit with respect to the path for the exit of the aerosol may vary (for example, between 0 degrees and 180 degrees), and in some embodiments, the first and second spray units may form different angles with respect to the path for the exit of the aerosol. In the illustrated embodiment, the first spray unit 315A forms an angle α _A with respect to the path 320 for the aerosol, and the second spray unit 315B forms an angle α _B with respect to the path 320 for the exit of the aerosol. Although other configurations are possible, in the illustrated embodiment, the angles α _A and α _B are substantially the same and are greater than 45 degrees and less than 180 degrees, and, in particular, less than 90 degrees.

In the embodiment shown, the first reservoir 310A contains the first liquid composition 312A, and the second reservoir 310B contains the second liquid composition 312B, wherein the first liquid composition 312A is different from the second liquid composition 312B. In addition, the first spray unit 315A is configured to generate a first aerosol having a first particle size, and the second spray unit 315B is configured to generate a second aerosol having a second particle size, wherein the first particle size is different from the second particle size. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding the first and second liquid compositions, the first and second spray units, the respective aerosol particle sizes and their terms, as well as their configurations and variations.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure may be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the present invention as presented in the above descriptions and accompanying drawings. It should therefore be noted that the present disclosure should not be limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and that modifications and other embodiments are included within the scope of protection of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims (31)

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: a casing that forms the outer wall and also includes a power source and a control component, the mouthpiece portion, which forms the path for the aerosol to exit, a first reservoir configured to contain a first liquid composition, a second reservoir configured to contain a second liquid composition, a first atomization unit configured to evaporate the first liquid composition to generate a first aerosol having a first aerosol particle size, and a second spray unit configured to evaporate the second liquid composition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosol particle size, wherein the first liquid composition is different from the second liquid composition, and wherein the first particle size is different from the second particle size, and wherein at least one of the first and second spraying units comprises a vibration unit. 2. The aerosol delivery device according to item 1, wherein one of the first and second vibration units comprises a mesh plate and a vibration component. 3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 2, wherein the vibration component of one of the first and second vibration assemblies comprises a piezoelectric ring attached to and surrounding the mesh plate, and/or wherein the mesh plate of one of the first and second vibration units is flat, and/or wherein at least a portion of the mesh plate of at least one of the first and second vibrating units is convex with respect to the corresponding reservoir. 4. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second reservoirs and the first and second spray units are located in a casing, and the mouthpiece portion is designed to be removed from the casing and replaced. 5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first and second reservoirs are located on opposite sides of the aerosol outlet path. 6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first and second spray units are located on opposite sides of the aerosol outlet path, and optional: in which the first and second spray units are positioned at an angle to each other and to the aerosol outlet path, and optional: wherein the surface of each of the first and second spray units forms an angle with respect to the path for the exit of the aerosol, and optional: in which the angle formed by the surface of each of the first and second spray units is greater than 45 degrees and less than 180 degrees. 7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first particle size is less than 4 microns. 8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the second particle size is greater than 4 microns. 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the second particle size is from 4 microns to 15 microns. 10. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second spray units are configured to generate the first and second aerosols simultaneously. 11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first spray unit is configured to generate the first aerosol after the second spray unit is configured to generate the second aerosol. 12. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second spray units are configured to be automatically controlled by means of a control component. 13. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first liquid composition comprises an aqueous liquid that includes nicotine. 14. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the second liquid composition comprises a pulmonary surfactant.