RU2847575C2 - Aerosol delivery device with separable heat source and substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: smoking accessories.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to aerosol generating devices. Device comprises holder, heating part including combustible heat source configured to generate heat, and part in form of substrate containing substrate material, including aerosol precursor composition. Holder is configured to receive heating part and part in form of substrate. Heating part and part in form of substrate are located near each other and are separate components, each of which is made with possibility of independent removal and replacement in holder. Longitudinal axis of the heating part has an angle of displacement relative to the longitudinal axis of the part in the form of a substrate.

EFFECT: providing simplicity and ease of use of the device with the possibility of using reusable components.

11 cl, 10 dwg

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and the right to benefit from U.S. Patent Application No. 16/516,932, entitled Aerosol Delivery Device with Separable Heat Source and Substrate, filed July 19, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices and systems, such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices and systems that utilize heat sources, such as combustible carbon-based ignition sources, to generate an aerosol (e.g., smoking articles for the purpose of producing tobacco components, tobacco extracts, nicotine, synthetic nicotine, nicotine-free flavoring, and other materials in an inhalable form, commonly referred to as heated-but-not-combusted systems or electronic cigarettes). The components of such articles are made or obtained from tobacco, or these articles may otherwise be characterized as including tobacco for human consumption and capable of vaporizing tobacco components and/or other tobacco-related materials to form an inhalable aerosol for human consumption.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Over the years, a variety of smoking articles have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to tobacco-based smoking products. Typical alternatives include devices that burn solid or liquid fuel to transfer heat to the tobacco or that use a chemical reaction to provide such a heat source. Examples include the smoking articles described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

Improvements or alternatives to smoking products have typically sought to provide the sensations associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without delivering significant amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. To this end, numerous smoking products, aroma generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that use electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material or attempt to provide the sensations of smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without significantly burning the tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking products, aerosol delivery devices, and heat-generating sources disclosed in the prior art, as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. and No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically driven heat generating sources referenced by trademark and trade information in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0220232 to Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically driven heat generating sources referenced by trademark and trade information in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0245659 to DePiano et al., which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other representative cigarettes or smoking articles that have been described and, in some cases, made commercially available include those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Patent Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 to Counts et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; US Patent No. 6,164,287 by White; US Patent No. 6,196,218 by Voges; US Patent No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al.; US Patent No. 6,854,461 by Nichols; US Patent No. 7,832,410 by Hon. US Patent No. 7,513,253 by Kobayashi; US Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al.; US Patent No. 7,896,006 by Hamano; US Patent No. 6,772,756 by Shayan; US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0095311 by Hon; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006/0196518, 2009/0126745, and 2009/0188490 to Hon; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0272379 to Thorens et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0260641 and 2009/0260642 to Monsees et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008/0149118 and 2010/0024834 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0307518 to Wang; and WO 2010/091593 to Hon, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Various methods and techniques for assembling smoking articles that have a plurality of sequentially arranged segmented components have been proposed. See, for example, the various types of assembly techniques and methodologies set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,469,871 to Banerjee et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Crooks et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2010/0186757 to Crooks et al.; 2012/0042885 to Stone et al.; and 2012/00673620 to Conner et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Several types of cigarettes that use carbonaceous fuel cells are sold under the trade names "Premier," "Eclipse," and "Revo" by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. See, for example, the types of cigarettes described in the monograph "Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco" by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (1988) and Inhalation Toxicology, 12:5, pp. 1-58 (2000). Additionally, a similar type of cigarette was available for sale in Japan by Japan Tobacco Inc. under the trade name "Steam Hot One."

In some cases, some smoking products, particularly those using traditional paper wrappers, are also susceptible to burning of the paper wrapper covering the combustible fuel source due to the high temperatures reached by the fuel source near the paper wrapper. This may reduce the smoking experience for some consumers and may mask or undesirably alter the flavors delivered to the consumer by the aerosol delivery components of the smoking products. In other cases, traditional smoking products may produce relatively significant levels of gases such as carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide during use (e.g., as products of carbon combustion). In other cases, traditional smoking products may have poor aerosolization performance with respect to the aerosol-forming component(s).

Therefore, it is preferable to provide smoking products that address one or more technical issues sometimes associated with traditional smoking products. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a smoking product that is easy to use and features reusable components.

DISCLOSURE OF THE ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices and cartridges for use with aerosol delivery devices. The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary embodiments.

An exemplary embodiment 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising a holder, a heating portion including a heat source configured to generate heat, and a substrate portion containing a substrate material including an aerosol precursor composition, wherein the holder is configured to receive the heating portion and the substrate portion, wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are located near each other, and wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are separate components and are configured to be independently removed and replaced in the holder.

Exemplary Embodiment 2: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are arranged in an end-to-end arrangement.

Exemplary Embodiment 3: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement.

Exemplary embodiment 4: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the longitudinal axis of the heating portion has an offset angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the substrate portion.

Exemplary embodiment 5: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are arranged in an above-below arrangement.

Exemplary embodiment 6: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are in contact with each other.

Exemplary embodiment 7: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein a space exists between the heating portion and the substrate portion.

Exemplary embodiment 8: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, further comprising a heat transfer component located between the heating portion and the substrate portion.

Exemplary embodiment 9: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat transfer component is independently removable and replaceable within the holder.

Exemplary embodiment 10: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat transfer component is formed integrally with one or more of the following: a heating portion or a substrate portion.

Exemplary embodiment 11: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate portion includes an outer casing surrounding at least a portion of the substrate material.

Exemplary embodiment 12: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heating portion includes an outer casing surrounding at least a portion of the heat source.

Exemplary embodiment 13: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder includes a heating portion compartment.

Exemplary embodiment 14: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder includes a compartmentalized portion in the form of a substrate.

Exemplary embodiment 15: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder includes a heating portion compartment and a separate substrate portion compartment.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description together 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 this description, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole, so that any individual features or elements of the disclosed invention in any of its various aspects and embodiments should be considered as combinable unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Having therefore described the present invention in the general terms set forth above, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device that includes a holder and a removable cartridge, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cartridge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cartridge of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a detachable heating portion and a substrate portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a detachable heating portion and a substrate portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a detachable heating portion and a substrate portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodiments are described in such a way that this disclosure thoroughly, completely, and fully conveys the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present invention is embodied in many different forms and should not be considered as limited to the embodiments described herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present invention complies with applicable legal requirements. In this description and in the appended claims, a grammatical construction indicating that an element is given in the singular also implies the plural, unless the context of the invention clearly dictates otherwise.

The present invention provides descriptions of articles (and methods of assembling and/or manufacturing the same) in which a material is heated (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent) to form an aerosol and/or an inhalable substance; wherein such articles are most preferably sufficiently compact to be considered portable devices. According to preferred aspects, the articles are characterized as smoking articles. As used herein, the term "smoking article" is intended to refer to an article and/or device that provides a variety of sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of flavors 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 pipe without actually burning to any significant extent any of the components of the article and/or device. As used in this application, the term "smoking article" does not necessarily mean that the article and/or device, when in operation, produces smoke in the sense that the aerosol is not the result of by-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather that the said article or device most preferably produces vapors (including vapors in the form of aerosols, which are considered to be visible aerosols and which are considered to be describable as smoke-like) resulting from the vaporization or evaporation of certain components, elements and/or the like of the article or device. According to preferred aspects, articles or devices characterized as smoking articles contain tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco.

As noted above, the aerosol-generating components of certain preferred aerosol delivery devices can provide a variety of sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, flavor and aroma types, organoleptic effects, physical sensation, usage rituals, visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe that are caused by the ignition and combustion of tobacco (and then inhalation of tobacco smoke) without any significant combustion of any of their components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device in accordance with some example embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention can hold and use this component in a manner similar to how a smoker uses a traditional type of smoking article, by puffing through one end of said means to inhale the aerosol generated by this means, performing or performing puffs at selected intervals, and the like.

The proposed articles and/or devices are also characterized as vapor-generating articles, aerosol delivery articles, or drug delivery articles. Accordingly, such articles or devices are adapted to deliver one or more substances in a form or state suitable for inhalation. For example, the inhalable substances are 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 are in the form of an aerosol (e.g., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For the sake of simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is intended to refer to vapors, gases, and aerosols of a form or type suitable for inhalation by humans, regardless of whether they are or are not visible and whether or not they have a form that can be considered "smoke-like." In some embodiments, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" may be interchangeable. Thus, for simplicity, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol” used to describe this disclosure should be understood as interchangeable unless otherwise noted.

When used, the proposed smoking products are utilized through various physical actions by a person using a traditional smoking product (e.g., a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, which is lit by a flame and consumed by inhaling tobacco, which is subsequently ignited and/or burned). For example, the user of the proposed smoking product holds the product like a traditional smoking product, drawing on one end of the product to inhale the aerosol generated by the product, inhaling at selected intervals.

Although the systems are generally described herein in terms of embodiments related to smoking articles, such as so-called "heated tobacco products," it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in a variety of different forms and associated with different articles. For example, the description provided herein may be used in conjunction with embodiments of traditional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), cigarettes that utilize heating of tobacco instead of combustion, and corresponding packaging for any of the products described herein. Accordingly, it should be understood that the description of the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are given in terms of embodiments related to aerosol delivery devices only by way of example and may be implemented and used in various other products and methods.

The proposed smoking articles generally comprise a number of elements formed or contained within a shell of the same type as the casing, outer wrapper or wrapping material, housing, component, module, element, or the like. The overall shell design is variable, and the shell configuration and format, which determines the overall size and shape of the smoking article, are also variable. According to some, but not all, embodiments of the invention, the overall shell design, size, and/or shape resemble a conventional cigarette or cigar. Typically, a shell resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar contains detachable components, elements, or the like that interact to form the shell. For example, in some aspects, such a smoking article may comprise detachable components that include a holder and a cartridge that contains an aerosol delivery component (such as, for example, a substrate material) and a heat source component. In various aspects, the heat source may be configured to generate heat for aerosolizing a substrate material that includes, for example, an extruded structure and/or a substrate, a substrate material associated with an aerosol precursor composition, tobacco and/or a tobacco-related material, such as a material that is naturally present in tobacco and that can be directly isolated from tobacco or produced synthetically in solid or liquid form (e.g., beads, sheets, pieces, wrapper), or the like. In some embodiments, the extruded structure may comprise tobacco products or a composite of tobacco with other materials, such as, for example, a ceramic powder. In other embodiments, porous ceramic beads may be filled with a tobacco extract/tobacco suspension. Other embodiments may use non-tobacco products. In some embodiments, porous beads/powders (ceramic) filled with an aerosol precursor composition may be used. In other embodiments, rods/cylinders made from an extruded suspension of ceramic powder and an aerosol precursor composition may be used.

According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, it is preferable to provide a smoking article that is easy to use and that has reusable components. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of such a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a smoking article 100 that includes a removable cartridge 102 and a holder 104. The holder 104 includes a main body portion 120 and a mouthpiece portion 122 located at the mouthpiece end of the holder 104. Although various embodiments of holders may differ in the design and manner of receiving the removable cartridge according to the present disclosure, in the embodiment shown, the removable cartridge 102 is configured to be longitudinally removably received in a cavity 106 formed at the receiving end of the main body portion 120 of the holder 104. Some examples of one or more holders that can be used in combination with the removable cartridges of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16/035,103, filed July 13, 2018, and entitled Smoking Article with Detachable Cartridge, which is fully is incorporated into this document by reference.

In various embodiments, the heating portions and substrate portions of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of different holders. Some examples of holders that may be used with the present disclosure are included in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/516,573, filed July 19, 2019, and entitled "Holder for Aerosol Delivery Device with Detachable Cartridge"; U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/516,601, filed July 19, 2019, and entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Sliding Sleeve"; U.S. Patent Application No. 16/516,621, filed July 19, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Clamshell Holder for Cartridge"; and U.S. Patent Application No. 16/516,821, filed July 19, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Rotatable Enclosure for Cartridge," each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the removable cartridge 102 of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cartridge 102 includes a heating portion 108 containing a heat source 109, a substrate portion 110 containing a substrate material 116 (see FIG. 3), and an outer casing 112 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 109 and the substrate material 116. It should be noted that although in the illustrated embodiment the cartridge 102 and the holder 104 have substantially cylindrical overall shapes, in various other embodiments any one or both of these components (and/or any of the subcomponents, such as, for example, the main body portion and/or the mouthpiece portion of the holder and/or the heat source, the outer casing and/or the substrate material of the cartridge) may have a different shape. For example, in some embodiments, one or both of the holder or cartridge (and/or any of their subcomponents) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially rectangular cuboid shape. In other embodiments, one or both of the holder or cartridge (and/or any of their subcomponents) may have other portable shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the holder may have the shape of a small box, various forms of pod mods, or the shape of a key fob. Some examples of cartridge configurations that may be used in the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/515,637, filed July 18, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Consumable Cartridge," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In various embodiments, the heat source may be configured to generate heat upon ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, heat source 109 comprises a combustible fuel element that is generally cylindrical in shape and comprises a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source may have a different shape, such as a prism with a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. Carbonaceous materials typically have a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are preferably composed of carbon, typically having a carbon content greater than about 60 percent, typically greater than about 70 percent, often greater than about 80 percent, and most often greater than about 90 percent, based on dry weight.

In some cases, the heat source may include elements other than combustible carbonaceous materials (e.g., tobacco components such as powdered tobaccos or tobacco extracts; flavorings; salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; heat-resistant graphite, hollow cylindrical (e.g., tubular) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass threads; powdered calcium carbonate; aluminum oxide granules; ammonia sources such as ammonia salts and/or binding agents such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a plurality of flammable objects, such as, for example, a plurality of flammable beads. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may differ in composition or relative content from those listed above. For example, in some embodiments, various forms of carbon, such as graphite or graphene, may be used as the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may have increased levels of activated carbon, different carbon porosities, different amounts of carbon, mixtures of any of the aforementioned components, and the like. In other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a non-carbon heat source, such as, for example, a flammable liquefied gas configured to generate heat upon ignition. For example, in some embodiments, the liquefied gas may comprise one or more of petroleum gas (liquefied petroleum gas or LPG), propane, propylene, butylene, butane, isobutene, methylpropane, or n-butane. In yet other embodiments, the heat source may comprise a chemical reaction-based heat source, wherein ignition of the heat source involves the interaction of two or more individual components. For example, the chemical reaction-based heat source may comprise metal agents and an activating solution, wherein the heat source is activated upon contact between the metal agents and the activating solution. Some examples of chemical heat sources can be found in U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Combinations of heat sources are also possible.

Although the specific dimensions of the applicable heat source may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 109 has a length in the range of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, inclusive, and in some embodiments may be about 17 mm, and an overall diameter in the range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, inclusive, and in some embodiments may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, approximately 7 mm).

Although in other embodiments the heat source may be formed in various ways, in the embodiment shown the heat source 109 is extruded or mixed using ground or powdered carbonaceous material, and the heat source 104 has a density that is greater than about 0.5 g/ ^cm3 , often greater than about 0.7 g/ ^cm3 , and most often greater than about 1 g/ ^cm3 , on a dry weight basis. See, for example, the types of components, compositions, and designs of fuel sources that are set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent 7,836,897 to Borschke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Although in various embodiments the heat source may have various shapes, including, for example, a substantially solid cylindrical shape or a hollow cylindrical (e.g. tubular) shape, the heat source 109 of the embodiment shown comprises an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material that has a generally cylindrical shape that contains a plurality of internal passages 114 extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end of the heat source 109 to an opposite second end of the heat source 109. In the embodiment shown, there are approximately thirteen internal passages 114, comprising one central internal passage 114a, six surrounding internal passages 114b that are located at a distance from the central internal passages 114a and have the same size (e.g. diameter) as the central internal passage 114a, and six peripheral internal passages 114c that are located at a distance from the outer surface of the heat source 109 and have a smaller diameter than the diameter of the central internal passage 114a. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the presence of multiple internal passages is not required and/or the multiple internal passages may have different shapes and/or sizes. For example, in some embodiments, there may be only two internal passages, while in other embodiments, there may be only one internal passage. Still other embodiments may not contain internal passages at all. Further embodiments may include multiple internal passages that may have different diameters and/or shapes and that may be unevenly spaced and/or located within the heat source.

Although not shown in the drawings, some embodiments may alternatively or additionally include one or more peripheral grooves that extend longitudinally from the first end of the heat source to the opposite second end, although in other embodiments the grooves do not have to extend along the entire length of the heat source. In some embodiments, such grooves may be substantially equal in width and depth and may be substantially uniformly distributed over the circumferential surface of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be only two grooves, and still other embodiments may include only one groove. Still other embodiments may not contain grooves at all. Further embodiments may include a plurality of grooves, which may have unequal width and/or depth and which may be non-uniformly spaced over the circumferential surface of the heat source. In still other embodiments, the heat source may comprise recesses and/or slots that extend longitudinally from the first end of the extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to its opposite second end. In some embodiments, the heat source may comprise a foamed carbonaceous monolith formed by a foaming process of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184 to Lobovsky, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thus, some embodiments may provide advantages in terms of reduced time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with an insulation layer (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and costs. Other embodiments of fuel cells include carbon fibers of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 to Brooks et al., or other embodiments of heat sources, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0044818 to Takeuchi et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional examples of heat sources, including systems with an embossed heat source, methods, and smoking articles that include such heat sources are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15/902,665, filed February 22, 2018, and entitled System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and a Related Method, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In general, a heat source is positioned close enough to an aerosol delivery component (e.g., a substrate portion) having one or more nebulized components so that an aerosol formed/evaporated by the application of heat from the heat source to the nebulized components (as well as any flavorings, medications, and/or the like that are also provided for delivery to the user) can be delivered to the user via a mouthpiece. Thus, when the heat source heats the substrate component, the aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the user. It should be noted that the above terms should be considered interchangeable, so that forms of the specified term such as "release," "release," "releases," or "released" include forms such as "form" or "generate," "forming" or "generating," "forms" or "generates," and "formed" or "generated." In particular, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Furthermore, the selection and arrangement of the various elements of the smoking articles is clear from consideration of commercially available electronic smoking articles, such as the representative products referenced in the "Background of the Invention" section of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the cartridge 102 of FIG. 1. As shown in the drawing, the substrate material 116 in the shown embodiment has opposite first and second ends, and the heat source 109 is located near the first end of the substrate material 116. Although the sizes of the various components of the cartridge may vary depending on the needs of a particular application, in the shown embodiment, the cartridge 102 may have an overall length in the range of from about 10 mm to about 50 mm, inclusive, and a diameter in the range of from about 2 mm to about 20 mm, inclusive. Additionally, in the shown embodiment, the casing 112 may have a thickness in the range of from about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, inclusive. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the substrate material 116 may have a length in the range of approximately 5 mm to 50 mm inclusive, and a diameter slightly smaller than that of the entire cartridge to match the thickness of the housing 112, such as, for example, a diameter in the range of approximately 2.9 mm to approximately 9.9 mm inclusive.

In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate portion 110 comprises a substrate material 116 having a single portion, although in other embodiments, the substrate portion may include one or more additional portions of the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the smoking article 100 may further comprise a second portion of the substrate material (not shown) having opposite first and second ends. In various embodiments, the one or more substrate materials may comprise tobacco or a tobacco-related material with an associated aerosol precursor composition. In other embodiments, non-tobacco materials, such as cellulose pulp, may be used. In other embodiments, the non-tobacco substrate material may not be a plant-derived material. Other possible compositions, components, and/or additives for use in the substrate material (and/or substrate materials) are described in more detail below. It should be noted that the following discussion should be applied to any substrate material used in the smoking articles described herein (such as, for example, the substrate material 116 of the illustrated embodiment).

With reference to FIG. 1, ignition of heat source 109 of the embodiment shown results in aerosolization of an aerosol precursor composition associated with substrate material 116. In various embodiments, mouthpiece portion 122 is configured to receive generated aerosol therethrough in response to a puff taken by a user through mouthpiece portion 122. In some embodiments, mouthpiece portion 122 may comprise a filter configured to receive aerosol therethrough in response to a puff taken through mouthpiece portion 122. In various embodiments, the filter may be provided in some aspects as a circular disk radially and/or longitudinally located near the end of the holder opposite the receiving end. Thus, when a puff is taken through mouthpiece portion 122, the filter may receive aerosol flowing through holder 104 of smoking article 100. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise separate parts. For example, some embodiments may include a portion that provides filtration, a portion that provides draw resistance, a hollow portion that provides a space for cooling the aerosol, other filter portions, and any one or any combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the filter may also provide flavor. In some embodiments, the filter may include one or more filter portions that are replaceable. For example, in some embodiments, one or more filter portions may be replaceable to customize the user experience of the device, including, for example, filter portions that provide different draw resistances and/or different flavors. Some examples of flavor addition materials and/or components configured to add flavor can be found in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/408,942, filed May 10, 2019, and entitled Flavor Article for an Aerosol Delivery Device; in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/935,105, filed March 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control"; and in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/353,556, filed March 14, 2019, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device Providing Flavor Control," each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Preferably, the substrate material elements are not subject to thermal decomposition (e.g., charring, burning, or combustion) to any significant degree, and the aerosolized components are captured by air drawn through the smoking article, including the filter (if present), into the user's mouth. In the smoking article 100 of the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 116 comprises a plurality of tobacco pellets, collectively formed into a substantially cylindrical portion. However, in various embodiments, the substrate material may comprise a plurality of different compositions and combinations thereof, as described in more detail below.

For example, in one embodiment, the substrate material may comprise a blend of flavored and aromatic tobaccos in the form of cut filler. In another embodiment, the substrate material may comprise a reconstituted tobacco material such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,889,143 to Pryor et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 to Raker, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. An additional reconstituted tobacco material may comprise a reconstituted tobacco packaging paper described for the type of cigarettes described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (1988), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For example, the reconstituted tobacco material may comprise a sheet material containing tobacco and/or tobacco-related materials. Thus, in some embodiments, the substrate material may be formed from a wound roll of reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the substrate material may be formed from pieces, strips, and/or the like of reconstituted tobacco material. In another embodiment, the tobacco sheet may comprise overlapping layers (e.g., a gathered web), which may or may not include thermally conductive components. Examples of substrate-like portions that include a series of overlapping layers (e.g., a collected web) of a substrate precursor sheet formed by a fibrous filler material, an aerosol-forming material, and a plurality of thermally conductive constituents are described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/905,320, filed February 26, 2018, entitled "Heat Conducting Substrate For Electrically Heated Aerosol Delivery Device," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the substrate material may include a plurality of microcapsules, beads, granules, and/or the like containing a tobacco-related material. For example, a representative microcapsule may be generally spherical in shape and may have an outer coating or shell that contains a central region containing a liquid tobacco-derived extract, and/or the like. In some embodiments, one or more substrate materials may comprise a plurality of microcapsules, each of which has a hollow cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, one or more substrate materials may comprise a binder material configured to maintain the structural shape and/or integrity of the plurality of microcapsules having a hollow cylindrical shape.

Useful tobacco in the one or more substrate materials may include or be derived from tobaccos such as flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, oriental tobacco, Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark fire-cured tobacco, and shag, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Various representative tobacco types, processed tobacco types, and tobacco blend types are shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Patent No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,730,832 to Dominguez et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,011,096 to Li et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,017,585 to Li et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0255965 to Perfetti et al.; PCT Application Publication No. WO 02/37990 to Bereman and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, pp. 11-17, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

In yet other embodiments of the disclosure, the substrate material may comprise an extruded construct that comprises or consists essentially of tobacco, a tobacco-related material, glycerin, water, and/or a binder, although some formulations may not contain a binder. In various embodiments, suitable binders may comprise alginates such as ammonium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, potassium alginate, and sodium alginate. Alginates, and in particular high viscosity alginates, may be used in combination with controlled levels of free calcium ions. Other suitable binders include hydroxypropyl cellulose, such as Klucel H, manufactured by Aqualon Co.; hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, such as Methocel K4MS, manufactured by The Dow Chemical Co.; hydroxyethyl cellulose, such as Natrosol 250 MRCS, manufactured by Aqualon Co.; microcrystalline cellulose, such as Avicel, manufactured by FMC; methylcellulose, such as Methocel A4M, manufactured by The Dow Chemical Co.; and sodium carboxymethylcellulose, such as CMC 7HF and CMC 7H4F, manufactured by Hercules Inc. Still other possible binders include starches (e.g., corn starch), guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, pectins, and xanthan gum. In some embodiments, combinations or mixtures of two or more binders may be used. Other examples of binders are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jacob et al. and U.S. Patent No. 4,924,887 to Raker et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be provided as a binder (e.g., propylene glycol alginate). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the binder may comprise nanocellulose derived from tobacco or other biomass.

In some embodiments, the substrate material may include an extruded material as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0042885 to Stone et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In yet another embodiment, the substrate material may comprise an extruded structure and/or a substrate formed from marumarized and/or non-marumarized tobacco. Marumarized tobacco is known, for example, from U.S. Patent No. 5,105,831 to Banerjee et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Marumarized tobacco comprises from about 20 to about 50 percent (by weight) of a tobacco blend in powder form with glycerin (from about 20 to about 30 weight percent), calcium carbonate (typically from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, often from about 40 to about 60 weight percent), together with binders and/or flavoring agents described herein. In various embodiments, the extruded material may have one or more longitudinal openings.

In various embodiments, the substrate material may take various forms depending on the various amounts of materials used therein. For example, a sample of the substrate material may comprise up to about 98 wt.%, up to about 95 wt.%, or up to about 90 wt.% tobacco and/or tobacco-related material. The sample of the substrate material may also comprise up to about 25 wt.%, about 20 wt.%, or about 15 wt.% water, in particular from about 2 wt.% to about 25 wt.%, from about 5 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, or from about 7 wt.% to about 15 wt.% water. Flavorings and the like (which include medicaments such as nicotine) may comprise up to about 10 wt.%, up to about 8 wt.%, or up to about 5 wt.% of the aerosol delivery component.

Additionally or alternatively, the substrate material may include an extruded structure and/or a substrate that includes or substantially consists of tobacco, glycerin, water, and/or a binder and, further, is also configured to substantially maintain its structure during the aerosol generation process. Accordingly, the substrate material may be configured to substantially maintain its shape (i.e., the substrate material does not continuously deform under the applied shear stress) throughout the aerosol generation process. Although such an exemplary substrate material may contain liquids and/or have some moisture content, the substrate may remain substantially solid and may substantially maintain structural integrity throughout the aerosol generation process. Illustrative tobacco and/or tobacco-related materials suitable as a substantially solid substrate material are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0157052 to Ademe et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0335070 to Sears et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,204,287 to White; and U.S. Patent No. 5,060,676 to Hearn et al., which are respectively incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In some embodiments, the amount of substrate material used in the smoking article may be such that the article has acceptable sensory and organoleptic properties, as well as the desired performance characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition, such as, for example, glycerin and/or propylene glycol, may be used in the substrate material to ensure the production of a visible primary aerosol, which in many respects resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke. For example, the amount of aerosol precursor composition contained in the substrate material of the smoking article may be about 3.5 g or less, about 3 g or less, about 2.5 g or less, about 2 g or less, about 1.5 g or less, about 1 g or less, or about 0.5 g or less.

According to another embodiment, the proposed smoking article may include a substrate material comprising a porous inert material, such as, for example, a ceramic material. For example, in some embodiments, ceramics of various shapes and geometries (e.g., balls, rods, tubes, etc.) that have different pore morphologies may be used. Furthermore, in some embodiments, non-tobacco materials, such as an aerosol precursor composition, may be loaded into the ceramic. In another embodiment, the substrate material may include a porous inert material that is substantially chemically and/or physically non-reactive with a tobacco-related material, such as, for example, a tobacco-derived extract. Furthermore, extruded tobacco, such as described above, may be porous. For example, in some embodiments, the extruded tobacco material may have an inert gas, such as, for example, nitrogen, which acts as a blowing agent during the extrusion process.

As noted above, in various embodiments, one or more substrate materials may comprise tobacco, a tobacco component, and/or a tobacco-derived material that can be purified, processed, recovered, and/or treated to include an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., humectants such as, for example, propylene glycol, glycerin, and/or the like) and/or at least one flavoring agent, and a flame/combustion retardant (e.g., diammonium phosphate and/or another salt) configured to prevent ignition, pyrolysis, combustion, and/or burnout of the substrate material by a heat source. Various methods for incorporating tobacco into smoking articles, and in particular smoking articles that are configured to specifically not burn substantially all of the tobacco in the smoking articles, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Cantrell et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 to Robinson et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0215167 to Crooks et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

As noted above, in some embodiments, flame retardant/combustion retardant materials and other additives may be included in one or more substrate materials and may include organophosphorus compounds, borax, aluminum hydroxide, graphite, potassium tripolyphosphate, dipentaerythritol, pentaerythritol, and polyols. Other substances, such as nitrogen salts of phosphonic acid, monoammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium bromide, ammonium borate, ethanolammonium borate, ammonium sulfamate, halogenated organic compounds, thiourea, and antimony oxides, are suitable, but are not preferred. In each aspect of the non-flammable, fire-resistant and/or burn-resistant materials used in the substrate material and/or other components (whether individually or in combination with each other and/or with other materials), the required properties are most preferably achieved without undesirable outgassing or melting.

According to other embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention, the substrate material may also include tobacco additives of the type commonly used in the manufacture of tobacco products. These additives may include materials of the types used to enhance the flavor and aroma of tobacco in the manufacture of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, and the like. For example, these additives may include various cigarette wrappers and/or topcoat components. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 3,419,015 to Wochnowski; U.S. Patent No. 4,054,145 to Berndt et al.; U.S. Patent No. 4,887,619 to Burcham, Jr. et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,022,416 to Watson; U.S. Patent No. 5,103,842 to Strang et al.; and U.S. Patent No. 5,711,320 to Martin, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Preferred shell materials may include water, sugars and syrups (e.g., sucrose, glucose, and high fructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol), and flavoring agents (e.g., cocoa and licorice). These added components may also include topcoat materials (e.g., flavoring materials such as menthol). See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,449,541 to Mays et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition, materials described in U.S. Patent No. 4,830,028 to Lawson et al. and U.S. Patent No. 8,186,360 to Marshall et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, may be added.

In some embodiments, the substrate material may comprise a liquid comprising an aerosol precursor composition and/or a gel comprising an aerosol precursor composition. Some examples of liquid compositions can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16/171,920, filed October 26, 2018, entitled "Aerosol Delivery Device with Visible Indicator," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As noted above, in various embodiments, one or more substrate materials may have an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise one or more different components, such as a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof). Exemplary additional types of aerosol precursor compositions are listed in U.S. Patent No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr., et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 to Jakob, et al., PCT Publication No. WO 98/57556 to Biggs, et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco by R.J. Tobacco Company. Reynolds (1988), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some aspects, the substrate material can generate a visible aerosol when sufficiently heated (and, if necessary, cooled with air), and the substrate material can generate an aerosol that is considered "smoke-like." In other aspects, the substrate material can generate an aerosol that is essentially invisible, but can be recognized as being present by other characteristics, such as aroma or texture. Thus, the nature of the resulting aerosol can vary depending on the specific components of the aerosol delivery component. The aerosol can be chemically simple compared to the chemical nature of smoke generated by burning tobacco.

In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain 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 include nicotine derived from tobacco. In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine derived 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 contain synthetic nicotine. In some embodiments, the nicotine included in the aerosol precursor composition may be derived 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)).

A variety of flavoring agents or materials that alter the sensory or organoleptic character or nature of the primary aerosol of a smoking article may be suitable for use. In some embodiments, such flavoring agents are derived from source materials other than tobacco and may be natural or artificial in nature. For example, some flavoring agents may be applied to or incorporated into the substrate material and/or aerosol-generating regions of the smoking article. In some embodiments, such agents may be delivered directly into the heating cavity or region near the heat source, or they may be provided by the substrate material. Examples of flavoring agents may include, for example, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and citrus flavors including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, 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. Additionally, syrups such as high-fructose corn syrup may also be suitable for use.

Flavoring agents may also include substances with acidic or basic characteristics (e.g., organic acids such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid). In some embodiments, flavoring agents may be configured to be combined with elements of the substrate material, if desired. Examples of plant-derived compositions that may be suitable 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 entirety. Any of the materials, such as flavorings, coatings, and the like, that may be useful in combination with the tobacco material to alter its sensory properties, including organoleptic properties, such as those already described herein, may be combined with the substrate material. Organic acids, in particular, can be incorporated into the substrate material to alter the aroma, sensation, or organoleptic properties of drugs, such as nicotine, that may be combined with the substrate material. For example, organic acids such as levulinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid can be incorporated into the nicotine substrate material in amounts up to equimolar (based on the total organic acid content) to nicotine. Any combination of organic acids can be suitable. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate material may include from about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per mole of nicotine, from about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per mole of nicotine, from about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid per mole of nicotine, or combinations thereof up to a concentration at which the total amount of organic acid present is equimolar to the total amount of nicotine present in the substrate material. Various additional examples of organic acids used to form the substrate material are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0344456 to Dull et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The selection of such additional components may vary depending on factors such as the sensory characteristics desired in the 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: 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.

In other embodiments, the substrate material may comprise other materials having a variety of inherent characteristics or properties. For example, the substrate material may comprise a plasticized material or regenerated cellulose in the form of viscose. Another example may include viscose (commercially available as VISIL®), which is a regenerated cellulose product including silica. Some carbon fibers may include at least 95 percent carbon or more. Similarly, natural cellulose fibers, such as cotton, may be suitable and may be infused with silica particles or otherwise treated with silica, carbon, or metal particles to improve flame retardancy and minimize off-gassing, particularly any undesirable off-gas components that may have a negative impact on taste (and, in particular, minimize the likelihood of any toxic off-gas products). Cotton can be treated, for example, with boric acid or various organophosphorus compounds to achieve the desired flame-retardant properties by dipping, spraying, or other methods known in the art. These fibers can also be treated (by infusion coating or both, such as dipping, spraying, or vapor deposition) with organic or metallic nanoparticles to impart the desired flame-retardant properties without the undesirable process of off-gassing or melting.

In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate material 116 may comprise axes defined at the center and extending longitudinally between the opposite first and second ends, and the cross-section of the substrate material 116 may, in some embodiments, be symmetrical about the specified axis. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the substrate material 116 may be substantially circular such that the substrate material 116 forms a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its opposite first and second ends. However, in other embodiments, the substrate material may form a substantially non-circular cross-section such that the substrate material may form a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its opposite first and second ends. In other words, in other examples, the substrate material may form an asymmetric cross-section about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the substrate material may be aligned along the axis with adjacent elements.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cartridge 102 of the shown embodiment also includes an outer casing 112 configured to surround at least a portion of the substrate portion 110 that includes the substrate material 116. In the shown embodiment, the outer casing 112 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 109. In the shown embodiment, the outer casing comprises a rigid material. For example, the outer casing 112 of the shown embodiment is made of an aluminum material; however, in other embodiments, the outer casing 112 may be made of other materials, including other metallic materials (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold and bronze), or graphite materials, or ceramic materials, or plastic materials, or any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heat source and/or at least a portion of the substrate material may be surrounded by a laminate of paper foil. In some embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a shell comprising a laminate that comprises a heat source and a bead-shaped substrate material. Some examples of laminates and/or shells that may be used in the present disclosure can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16/174,846, filed October 30, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article Cartridge," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the illustrated embodiment, the outer casing 112 is formed as a tubular structure that substantially encloses the substrate material 116; however, as noted above, in other embodiments, the outer casing 112 may have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer casing 112 may vary, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer casing 112 comprises a tubular structure that has an open end and a closed end. The illustrated embodiment of the outer casing 112 also includes one or more end openings 118 located at the closed end of the outer casing 112 that are configured to allow aerosolized vapor (alternatively referred to herein as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass through them. The end openings 118 of the illustrated embodiment are formed as a pair of elongated, rounded slit openings; however, in other embodiments, the end openings may have any shape that allows aerosol to pass through them. Thus, it should be understood that the end openings 118 may comprise fewer or additional openings and/or alternative opening shapes and sizes than those illustrated.

Although the heating portion 108 and the substrate portion 110 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 are contained together and surrounded by an outer casing that forms a single cartridge, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the heating portion and the substrate portion comprise separate components and are configured to be independently removed and replaced in a holder. Thus, the user can remove and/or replace only the heating portion, or only the substrate portion, or both the heating portion and the substrate portion. For example, FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 200 includes a holder 202 that is configured to receive the heating portion 204 and the substrate portion 206 separately. In the illustrated embodiment, the heating portion 204 includes a heat source 208, and the substrate portion 206 includes a substrate material 210. The aerosol delivery device 200 of the illustrated embodiment also includes an aerosol passage 212 that extends from the substrate portion 210 through the holder 202.

In some embodiments, the heating portion may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the heat source. Similarly, the substrate portion of some embodiments may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the substrate material. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, one or both of the heat source or the substrate material may not be surrounded by an outer casing such that the heat source and/or the substrate material are exposed. In some embodiments, the holder may also include a compartment of the heating portion configured to receive the heating portion and/or a compartment of the substrate portion configured to receive the substrate portion. It should be noted that the possible heat sources and/or possible substrate materials of the illustrated embodiment are similar to those described above. Thus, reference is made to the corresponding discussions of these characteristics (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated herein.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heating portion 204 and the substrate portion 210 are substantially longitudinally aligned in an end-to-end arrangement. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the heating portion 204 and the substrate portion 206 of the embodiment of FIG. 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the near end of the heat source 208 of the illustrated embodiment is located near the far end of the substrate material 210. In some embodiments, the heating portion and the substrate portion may be in contact with each other. In some embodiments, a space may exist between the heating portion and the substrate portion. In some embodiments, a barrier may be located between the heating portion and the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous, while in other embodiments, the barrier may be substantially non-porous. For example, reference is made to the embodiment described below with respect to FIG. 10. In some embodiments, the barrier may prevent or inhibit combustion gases from being drawn through the substrate material (and/or drawn through airways through which the aerosol is drawn).

In some embodiments, a heat transfer component, which may or may not comprise a barrier, may be located between the heat source and the substrate material. In various embodiments, the heat transfer component may be any material or combination of materials configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the heat transfer component may comprise one or more conductive materials, including, for example, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and the like, as well as combinations of these materials and layered materials comprising one or more of these materials. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component is configured to be independently removed and replaced in a holder. In other embodiments, the heat transfer component may be formed integrally with one or more of the heating portion or the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component may form part of a non-porous barrier that may prevent or impede the drawing of combustion gases through the substrate (or drawing through an air path through which an aerosol is drawn). In some embodiments, the holder or a portion of the holder (e.g., the receiving chamber) may be thermally conductive and may be in close contact with the heat transfer component and/or the substrate material.

In the illustrated embodiment, ignition of heat source 208 results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition associated with substrate material 210. In the illustrated embodiment, aerosol passage 212 of holder 200 is configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to a user's puff through holder 202. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the holder may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder near the substrate portion. Additionally or alternatively, other embodiments may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder downstream from the substrate portion. In this manner, the drawn-out air may be mixed with the generated aerosol before delivery to the user.

Another exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 6, which illustrates a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device. In particular, FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device 300. In the shown embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 300 includes a holder 302 that is configured to receive a heating portion 304 and, separately, a substrate portion 306. In the shown embodiment, the heating portion 304 includes a heat source 308, and the substrate portion 306 includes a substrate material 310. The aerosol delivery device 300 of the shown embodiment also includes an aerosol passage 312 that extends from the substrate portion 310 through the holder 302.

In some embodiments, the heating portion may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the heat source. Similarly, the substrate portion of some embodiments may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the substrate material. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, one or both of the heat source or the substrate material may not be surrounded by an outer casing such that the heat source and/or the substrate material are exposed. In some embodiments, the holder may also include a compartment of the heating portion configured to receive the heating portion and/or a compartment of the substrate portion configured to receive the substrate portion. It should be noted that the possible heat sources and/or possible substrate materials of the illustrated embodiment are similar to those described above. Thus, reference is made to the corresponding discussions of these characteristics (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated herein.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heating portion 304 and the substrate portion 310 are laterally aligned in a side-by-side arrangement (relative to the top of the device 300). FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of the heating portion 304 and the substrate portion 306 according to the embodiment of FIG. 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal end of the heat source 308 is located near the distal end of the substrate material 310. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may be located at any location near the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the heat source may be laterally aligned in a side-by-side arrangement (relative to the top of the device), wherein the heat source is located between the distal end and the first end of the substrate material. In other embodiments, the first end of the heat source may be substantially aligned with the first end of the substrate material.

In some embodiments, the heating portion and the substrate portion may be in contact with each other. In some embodiments, a space may exist between the heating portion and the substrate portion. In some embodiments, a barrier may be located between the heating portion and the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous, while in other embodiments, the barrier may be substantially non-porous. For example, reference is made to the embodiment described below with respect to FIG. 10. In some embodiments, the barrier may prevent or inhibit combustion gases from being drawn through the substrate material (and/or drawn through air paths through which an aerosol is drawn).

In some embodiments, a heat transfer component may be located between the heat source and the substrate material. In various embodiments, the heat transfer component may be any material or combination of materials configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the heat transfer component may comprise one or more conductive materials, including, for example, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and the like, as well as combinations of these materials and layered materials comprising one or more of these materials. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component is configured to be independently removed and replaced in a holder. In other embodiments, the heat transfer component may be formed integrally with one or more of the heating portion or the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component may form part of a non-porous barrier that may prevent or impede the drawing of combustion gases through the substrate (or drawing through an air path through which an aerosol is drawn). In some embodiments, the holder or a portion of the holder (e.g., the receiving chamber) may be thermally conductive and may be in close contact with the heat transfer component and/or the substrate material.

In the illustrated embodiment, ignition of heat source 308 results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition associated with substrate material 310. In the illustrated embodiment, aerosol passage 312 of holder 302 is configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to a puff taken by the user through holder 302. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the holder may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder near the substrate portion. Additionally or alternatively, other embodiments may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder downstream from the substrate portion. In this manner, the drawn-out air may be mixed with the generated aerosol before delivery to the user.

Another exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 8, which illustrates a schematic front view of an aerosol delivery device. In particular, FIG. 8 shows a schematic front view of an aerosol delivery device 400. In the shown embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 400 includes a holder 402 that is configured to receive a heating portion 404 and, separately, a substrate portion 406. In the shown embodiment, the heating portion 404 includes a heat source 408, and the substrate portion 406 includes a substrate material 410. The aerosol delivery device 400 of the shown embodiment also includes an aerosol passage 412 that extends from the substrate portion 410 through the holder 402.

In some embodiments, the heating portion may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the heat source. Similarly, the substrate portion of some embodiments may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the substrate material. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, one or both of the heat source or the substrate material may not be surrounded by an outer casing such that the heat source and/or the substrate material are exposed. In some embodiments, the holder may also include a compartment of the heating portion configured to receive the heating portion and/or a compartment of the substrate portion configured to receive the substrate portion. It should be noted that the possible heat sources and/or possible substrate materials of the illustrated embodiment are similar to those described above. Thus, reference is made to the corresponding discussions of these characteristics (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated herein.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heating portion 404 and the substrate portion 410 are aligned in a superior-subordinate arrangement (relative to the top of the device 400). FIG. 9 shows a schematic perspective view of the heating portion 404 and the substrate portion 406 according to the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal end of the heat source 408 is located near and above the distal end of the substrate material 410. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the heat source may be located anywhere above or below the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the heat source may be aligned in a superior-subordinate arrangement (relative to the top of the device), wherein the heat source is located between the distal end and the first end of the substrate material. In other embodiments, the first end of the heat source may be substantially aligned with the first end of the substrate material.

In some embodiments, the heating portion and the substrate portion may be in contact with each other. In some embodiments, a space may exist between the heating portion and the substrate portion. In some embodiments, a barrier may be located between the heating portion and the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous, while in other embodiments, the barrier may be substantially non-porous. For example, reference is made to the embodiment described below with respect to FIG. 10. In some embodiments, the barrier may prevent or inhibit combustion gases from being drawn through the substrate material (and/or drawn through air paths through which an aerosol is drawn).

In some embodiments, a heat transfer component may be located between the heat source and the substrate material. In various embodiments, the heat transfer component may be any material or combination of materials configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the heat transfer component may comprise one or more conductive materials, including, for example, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and the like, as well as combinations of these materials and layered materials comprising one or more of these materials. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component is configured to be independently removed and replaced in a holder. In other embodiments, the heat transfer component may be formed integrally with one or more of the heating portion or the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component may form part of a non-porous barrier that may prevent or impede the drawing of combustion gases through the substrate (or drawing through an air path through which an aerosol is drawn). In some embodiments, the holder or a portion of the holder (e.g., the receiving chamber) may be thermally conductive and may be in close contact with the heat transfer component and/or the substrate material.

In the illustrated embodiment, ignition of heat source 408 results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition associated with substrate material 410. In the illustrated embodiment, aerosol passage 412 of holder 402 is configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to a puff taken by the user through holder 402. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the holder may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder near the substrate portion. Additionally or alternatively, other embodiments may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder downstream from the substrate portion. In this manner, the drawn-out air may be mixed with the generated aerosol before delivery to the user.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 10 shows a schematic top view of an aerosol delivery device 500. In the shown embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 500 includes a holder 502 that is configured to receive a heating portion 504 and, separately, a substrate portion 506. In the shown embodiment, the heating portion 504 includes a heat source 508, and the substrate portion 506 includes a substrate material 510. The aerosol delivery device 500 of the shown embodiment also includes an aerosol passage 512 that extends from the substrate portion 510 through the holder 502.

In some embodiments, the heating portion may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the heat source. Similarly, the substrate portion of some embodiments may include an outer casing configured to surround or enclose at least a portion of the substrate material. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, one or both of the heat source or the substrate material may not be surrounded by an outer casing such that the heat source and/or the substrate material are exposed. In some embodiments, the holder may also include a compartment of the heating portion configured to receive the heating portion and/or a compartment of the substrate portion configured to receive the substrate portion. It should be noted that the possible heat sources and/or possible substrate materials of the illustrated embodiment are similar to those described above. Thus, reference is made to the corresponding discussions of these characteristics (and variations thereof), which will not be repeated herein.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heating portion 504 and the substrate portion 510 are substantially aligned in the longitudinal direction in an end-to-end arrangement. In the illustrated embodiment, a barrier 505 is disposed between the heat source 508 and the substrate material 510. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier 505 comprises a heat transfer component. In various embodiments, the heat transfer component may be made of any material or combination of materials capable of transferring heat from the heat source to the substrate material. For example, in some embodiments, the heat transfer component may comprise one or more conductive materials, including, for example, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and the like, as well as combinations of these materials and layered materials comprising one or more of these materials. In some embodiments, the heat transfer component is configured to be independently removed and replaced in the holder. In other embodiments, the heat transfer component may be formed integrally with one or more of the heating portion or the substrate portion. Some examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/923,735, filed March 16, 2018, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 508 and the substrate material 510 contact opposite portions of the barrier 505; however, in other embodiments, one or both of the heat source or the substrate material may be located at a distance from the barrier. In some embodiments, the barrier may be substantially porous, while in other embodiments, the barrier may be substantially non-porous. In some embodiments, a heat transfer component may be located between the heat source and the substrate material.

In the illustrated embodiment, ignition of heat source 508 results in aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition associated with substrate material 510. In the illustrated embodiment, aerosol passage 512 of holder 500 is configured to receive the generated aerosol therethrough in response to a user's puff through holder 502. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the holder may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder near the substrate portion. Additionally or alternatively, other embodiments may include one or more air inlets that extend through the holder downstream of the substrate portion. In this manner, the drawn-out air may mix with the generated aerosol before delivery to the user.

It should be noted that in the embodiments shown, the distal end of the heating portion and the end of the substrate portion are substantially aligned with each other; however, in other embodiments, this may not be the case. For example, in some embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the heating portion may be located substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the substrate portion, but the heating portion may be located between the near end and the distal end of the substrate portion. It should also be noted that although the embodiments shown illustrate the longitudinal axis of the heating portion, which is either substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the substrate portion or substantially parallel to it, in other embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the heating portion may not be substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the substrate portion or not be substantially parallel to it. For example, in some embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the heating portion may have a non-zero angle of 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the substrate portion, such as, for example, an offset angle (e.g., an acute angle, an obtuse angle, or a substantially perpendicular angle). In various embodiments, such angles may be in the same plane or in different planes. Although the aerosol delivery device according to the disclosure may include various embodiments, as described in more detail herein, the use of the aerosol delivery device by a consumer will be the same in scope. The above description of the use of the aerosol delivery device is applicable to the various embodiments described with minor modifications that may be obvious to one skilled in the art in light of the additional disclosure provided herein. The provided description of use, however, is not intended to limit the use of the device according to the present invention, but is provided to meet all the necessary requirements of the disclosure provided herein.

Although in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the heating portion, the substrate portion, and the holder may be provided together as a single aerosol delivery device, in general, these components may be provided separately. For example, the present disclosure also encompasses disposable units for use with a reusable unit. In specific embodiments, such disposable units (which may be one or more of the heating portion or the substrate portion, as shown in the accompanying drawings) may be configured to interact with the reusable unit (which may be the holder, as shown in the accompanying drawings). In yet other configurations, one or more of the heating portion or the substrate portion may comprise the reusable unit, and the holder may comprise the disposable unit.

Although some figures described herein illustrate the heating portion, the substrate portion, and the holder in operation, it is understood that the heating portion and/or the substrate portion and/or the holder may exist as individual components. Accordingly, any discussion herein regarding components in combination should also be understood to apply to the holder and cartridge as individual and separate components.

According to another aspect, the present invention may be directed to kits that provide a variety of components as described herein. For example, a kit may comprise a holder with one or more heating parts and/or one or more substrate parts. In additional embodiments, the kit may comprise a plurality of heating parts and/or a plurality of substrate parts. Kits according to the invention may also include a case (or other packaging, carrying, or storage component) in which one or more additional components of the kit are placed. The case may be a reusable hard or soft container. In addition, the case may simply be a box or other packaging structure. In some embodiments, a brush or other cleaning implement may be included in the kit. The cleaning implement may be configured to be inserted into the receiving chamber of the holder or, in other embodiments, inserted into a separate opening that allows the user to remove debris from the receiving chamber.

Numerous modifications and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, using the disclosures provided in the above description and the accompanying drawings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope 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 (15)

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: holder; a heating portion including a combustible heat source configured to generate heat, and a substrate portion comprising a substrate material comprising an aerosol precursor composition, wherein the holder is configured to receive a heating part and a part in the form of a substrate, wherein the heating part and the part in the form of a substrate are located near each other, wherein the heating part and the part in the form of a substrate are separate components, each of which is configured to be independently removed and replaced in the holder, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the heating part has an offset angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the part in the form of a substrate. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the heating portion and the substrate portion are in contact with each other. 3. An aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein a space exists between the heating portion and the substrate portion. 4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a heat transfer component located between the heating portion and the substrate portion. 5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4, wherein the heat transfer component is designed to be independently removable and replaceable within the holder. 6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4, wherein the heat transfer component is formed integrally with one or more of the following: a heating portion or a substrate portion. 7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substrate portion includes an outer casing surrounding at least a portion of the substrate material. 8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the heating portion includes an outer casing surrounding at least a portion of the heat source. 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the holder includes a heating portion compartment. 10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the holder includes a compartmentalized portion in the form of a substrate. 11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the holder includes a heating portion compartment and a separate substrate portion compartment.