RU2816296C2 - Control component for segmented heating in aerosol delivery device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: tobacco industry.

SUBSTANCE: aerosol delivery device is claimed that comprises a segmented heater including a plurality of heating elements which are configured individually to be powered to heat up and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, and a control component for the segmented heater. The control component includes a logic circuit with a data input and a plurality of outputs, each of which is connected to a respective one of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater. The processor generates and provides a logic signal, including at least a high voltage level, to the data input of the logic circuit to cause the logic circuit to provide a high voltage level at one or more outputs of the plurality of logic circuit outputs, thereby providing power to the corresponding one or more heating elements of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater for heating.
EFFECT: vaporizing the components of the aerosol precursor composition.

19 cl, 9 dwg

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices such as electronic cigarettes and heated but non-combusted cigarettes. The aerosol delivery device may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor composition, which may be made or derived from tobacco, or otherwise include tobacco, to form an inhalable substance for human consumption.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

[0002] Over the years, many smoking products have been proposed as an improvement or alternative to smoking products based on combustion of tobacco. 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 smoking articles described in US Pat. No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The rationale for improvements or alternatives to smoking articles has generally been to provide the experience associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes, but without delivering significant amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. To this end, a variety of smoking products, flavor generators and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that use electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile material or attempt to provide the sensation of smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes without substantially burning the tobacco. See, for example, various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat generating sources disclosed in the prior art as described in US Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al. and US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0096781 by Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Also see, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat generating sources referenced by trademark and trade information in US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0220232 by Bless et al. , which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat generating sources referenced by trademark and trade information are set forth in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0245659 by DePiano et al., which is also incorporated. incorporated into this document by reference. Other representative cigarettes or smoking articles that have been described and, in some cases, made commercially available include those described in US Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; US patents No. 4,922,901, No. 4,947,874 and No. 4,947,875 by Brooks et al.; US Patent No. 5,060,671 by Counts et al.; US Patent No. 5,249,586 by Morgan et al.; US Patent No. 5,388,594 by Counts et al.; US Patent No. 5,666,977 by Higgins et al.; US Patent No. 6,053,176 by 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 Publication No. 2009/0095311 by Hon; US Patent Publications No. 2006/0196518, 2009/0126745 and 2009/0188490 by Hon; in US Patent Publication No. 2009/0272379 by Thorens et al.; in US Patent Publications No. 2009/0260641 and 2009/0260642 by Monsees et al.; in US Patent Publications No. 2008/0149118 and 2010/0024834 by Oglesby et al.; in US Patent Publication No. 2010/0307518 by Wang; in PCT Patent Application Publication WO 2010/091593 by Hon, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Representative products that are similar in many attributes to traditional types of cigarettes, cigars or smoking pipes are commercially available as ACCORD® manufactured by Philip Morris Incorporated; ALPHA™, JOYE 510™ and M4™ manufactured by InnoVapor LLC; CIRRUS™ and FLING™, manufactured by White Cloud Cigarettes; BLU™, manufactured by Fontem Ventures B.V.; COHITA™, COLIBRI™, ELITE CLASSIC™, MAGNUM™, PHANTOM™ and SENSE™ manufactured by EPUFFER® International Inc.; DUOPRO™, STORM™ and VAPORKING® manufactured by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc.; EGAR™, manufactured by Egar Australia; eGo-C™ and eGo-T™ manufactured by Joyetech; ELUSION™, manufactured by Elusion UK Ltd; EONSMOKE®, manufactured by Eonsmoke LLC; FIN™TM, manufactured by FIN Branding Group, LLC; SMOKE® manufactured by Green Smoke Inc. USA; GREENARETTE™, manufactured by Greenarette LLC; HALLIGAN™, HENDU™, JET™, MAXXQ™, PINK™ and PITBULL™ manufactured by Smoke Stik®; HEATBAR™ and IQOS™ manufactured by Philip Morris International, Inc.; HYDRO IMPERIAL™ and LXE™, manufactured by Crown7; LOGIC™ and THE CUBAN™, manufactured by LOGIC Technology; LUCI®, manufactured by Luciano Smokes Inc.; METRO®, manufactured by Nicotek, LLC; NJOY® and ONEJOY™ manufactured by Sottera, Inc.; NO. 7™ manufactured by SS Choice LLC; PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE™ manufactured by PremiumEstore LLC; RAPP E-MYSTICK™ manufactured by Ruyan America, Inc.; RED DRAGON™, manufactured by Red Dragon Products, LLC; RUYAN®, manufactured by Ruyan Group (Holdings) Ltd.; SF® manufactured by Smoker Friendly International, LLC; GREEN SMART SMOKER®, manufactured by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd.; SMOKE ASSIST®, manufactured by Coastline Products LLC; SMOKING EVERYWHERE®, manufactured by Smoking Everywhere, Inc.; V2CIGS™ manufactured by VMR Products LLC; VAPOR NINE™, manufactured by VaporNine LLC; VAPOR4LIFE®, manufactured by Vapor 4 Life, Inc.; VEPPO™, manufactured by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC; VUSE®, manufactured by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company; Mistic Menthol products manufactured by Mistic Ecigs; the Vype products manufactured by CN Creative Ltd.; and GLO™, manufactured by British American Tobacco. Still other electrical aerosol delivery devices, and in particular devices that have been characterized as so-called electronic cigarettes, have been marketed under the trademarks COOLER VISIONS™; DIRECT E-CIG™; DRAGONFLY™; EMIST™; EVERSMAKE™; GAMUCCI®; HYBRID FLAME™; KNIGHT STICKS™; ROYAL BLUES™; SMOKETIP®; SOUTH BEACH SMOKE™.

[0005] However, it is preferred to provide aerosol delivery devices with advanced electronics, such as those that can improve the usability of the devices.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices configured to produce an aerosol and which, in some embodiments, may be referred to as electronic cigarettes or heated but non-combusted cigarettes. The present invention includes, without limitation, the following example implementations.

[0007] Implementation Example 1: An aerosol delivery device comprising a housing configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition; a segmented heater including a plurality of heating elements that are individually configured to be powered to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a control component coupled to a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater and configured to controlably power them individually, the control component including: logic circuit coupled to the segmented heater, wherein the logic circuit includes a data input and a plurality of outputs, each of which is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater; and a processor configured to generate a logic waveform signal switchable between a high voltage level and a low voltage level, which represent a first value and a second value, respectively, wherein the processor is coupled to a data input of the logic circuit and is configured to provide a logic signal thereto. a signal including at least a first value so as to cause the logic circuit to provide the first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more outputs of the plurality of outputs of the logic circuit, thereby providing power to the corresponding one or more heating elements of a plurality of heating elements of a segmented heater for heating and thereby vaporizing components of the aerosol precursor composition, any other heating elements of the plurality of heating elements being simultaneously turned off (not energized).

[0008] Implementation Example 2: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is a liquid or a solid or semi-solid.

[0009] Implementation Example 3: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the plurality of heating elements are a plurality of electrically conductive pins that are physically separated and spaced apart from each other.

[0010] Implementation Example 4: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is a solid or semi-solid and a plurality of electrically conductive pins are physically separated and spaced longitudinally along the solid. or semi-solid.

[0011] Implementation Example 5: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the logic circuit is a demultiplexer including a data input and a plurality of outputs and further including one or more selection inputs, wherein the processor is further connected with one or more selection inputs and configured to select, through the one or more selection inputs, one or more outputs of the demultiplexer, thereby causing the demultiplexer to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level at the one or more outputs.

[0012] Implementation Example 6: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the processor is configured to select at most one of one or more outputs to thereby cause provision of a demultiplexer the first value and thus a high voltage level on no more than one of the one or more outputs.

[0013] Implementation Example 7: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the first value and the second value are respective binary values, wherein the plurality of heating elements are N heating elements arranged in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N , and executing the processor with the ability to select one or more outputs includes executing it with the ability to supply binary numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N to one or more selection inputs and, thus thus selecting individual outputs from a plurality of outputs in a specified sequence and each within a specified time interval.

[0014] Implementation Example 8: An aerosol delivery device according to any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the logic circuit is a serial-in parallel-out (SIPO) latch shift register. wherein the logical signal is digits, each of which has a first value or a second value, and executing the processor with the ability to supply the logical signal includes executing it with the ability to sequentially apply digits to the data input, wherein the SIPO latch shift register is configured to respond for simultaneous supply of digits in parallel to a plurality of outputs, which is thus caused by it, including one or more digits having a first value, thereby providing a high voltage level at one or more outputs.

[0015] Implementation Example 9: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the digits for which the SIPO shift register-latch is responsively supplied simultaneously include at most one digit having first value.

[0016] Implementation Example 10: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the digits are bits each having a first value or a second value that are corresponding binary values, wherein a plurality of heating elements represent N heating elements arranged in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N , and executing the processor with the ability to supply digits includes executing it with the ability to sequentially supply bits representing the binary numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N , each during a given time interval.

[0017] Implementation Example 11: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, further comprising a sensor coupled to the plurality of outputs and configured to sense voltage or current across heating elements of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater.

[0018] Implementation Example 12: A method for controlling an aerosol delivery device, including a housing configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition; a segmented heater including a plurality of heating elements that are individually configured to be powered to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; wherein the method includes generating a logical waveform signal switchable between a high voltage level and a low voltage level, which represent a first value and a second value, respectively, supplying a logical signal including at least the first value to a data input of a logic circuit including the input data and a plurality of outputs, each of which is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater; and causing the logic circuit to provide a first value, and thus a high voltage level, to one or more outputs of the plurality of outputs of the logic circuit, thereby causing power to be supplied to a corresponding one or more heating elements of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater for heating, and thus thus evaporating the components of the aerosol precursor composition, with any other heating elements of the plurality of heating elements being simultaneously turned off.

[0019] Implementation Example 13: The method of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein powering the corresponding one or more heating elements includes powering the corresponding one or more heating elements to heat and thereby vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition , which is a liquid or a solid or semi-solid.

[0020] Implementation Example 14: The method of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein powering a corresponding one or more heating elements includes powering a corresponding one or more heating elements of a plurality of heating elements that are a plurality of electrically conductive pins, which are physically separated and located at a distance from each other.

[0021] Implementation Example 15: The method of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein powering the corresponding one or more heating elements includes powering the corresponding one or more heating elements to heat and thereby vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition , which is a solid or semi-solid substance, and a plurality of electrically conductive pins are physically separated and spaced in a longitudinal direction along the solid or semi-solid substance.

[0022] Implementation Example 16: The method of any prior implementation example or any combination of any prior implementation examples, wherein the logic circuit is a demultiplexer including a data input and a plurality of outputs and further including one or more selection inputs, wherein the method further includes selection by one or more inputs select one or more outputs of the logic circuit so as to cause the logic circuit to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more outputs.

[0023] Implementation Example 17: The method of any prior implementation example or any combination of any prior implementation examples, wherein selecting one or more outputs includes selecting at most one of the one or more outputs so as to cause thereby providing logical a first value circuit and thus a high voltage level at no more than one of the one or more outputs.

[0024] Implementation Example 18: The method of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the first value and the second value are respective binary values, wherein the plurality of heating elements are N heating elements arranged in sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N , and selecting one or more outputs involves applying the binary numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N to one or more selection inputs and thus selecting individual outputs from the plurality of outputs in the specified sequence and each within a given time interval.

[0025] Implementation Example 19: The method of any prior implementation example or any combination of any prior implementation examples, wherein the logic circuit is a serial-in parallel-out (SIPO) latch shift register, wherein the logical signal is digits, each of which has a first value or a second value, and supplying the logical signal involves sequentially applying digits to a data input, wherein the SIPO latch shift register is responsive to simultaneously supply digits in parallel to multiple outputs, which , thus causing it to be called, including one or more digits having a first value, thereby providing a high voltage level at one or more outputs.

[0026] Implementation Example 20: The method of any prior implementation example or any combination of any prior implementation examples, wherein the digits for which the SIPO latch shift register is responsively supplied simultaneously include at most one digit having a first value .

[0027] Implementation Example 21: The method of any preceding embodiment or any combination of any preceding embodiments, wherein the digits are bits each having a first value or a second value that are corresponding binary values, wherein the plurality of heating elements are N heating elements arranged in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, … N , and the digit feeding involves sequential feeding of bits representing the numbers 2 ⁿ , in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, … N , each for a specified time interval .

[0028] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosure of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The disclosure of the present invention includes any combination of two, three, four or more features or elements disclosed herein, whether such features or elements are intentionally combined or otherwise set forth in the particular embodiment described herein. This disclosure is intended to be read in its entirety, so that any individual features or elements of the invention in any of its aspects and exemplary embodiments are to be considered combinable unless the context of the invention clearly requires otherwise.

[0029] Thus, it should be understood that this disclosure is provided only for the purpose of summarizing certain exemplary implementations so as to provide a basic understanding of certain aspects of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are examples only and should not be construed as in any way limiting the scope or spirit of the invention. Other example implementations, aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, the principles of some of the described example implementations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Thus, having described the present invention in the foregoing general terms, reference is made below to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, in which:

[0031] in FIG. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an aerosol delivery device comprising a control body and an aerosol source member that are respectively connected to and disconnected from each other, according to another embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention;

[0032] in FIG. 3 and 4 respectively show a front view and a sectional view of the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 1 and 2 according to the example implementation;

[0033] in FIG. 5, 6 and 7 show electrical diagrams of aerosol delivery devices according to various example implementations of the disclosure of the present invention;

[0034] in FIG. 8 shows the voltages at the outputs of a SIPO shift register latch for a sequence of eight-bit values; And

[0035] in FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating various operations in a method of controlling an aerosol delivery device comprising a housing configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition, according to various example implementations.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to examples of its implementations. These exemplary embodiments are described in such a manner that the disclosure will thoroughly, completely and completely convey the scope of the invention to one skilled in the art. In fact, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments given herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to ensure that the present invention complies with applicable legal requirements. In this specification and in the accompanying claims, grammatical construction indicating that an element is in the singular also implies the plural unless the context of the invention clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, while reference may be made herein to quantities, values, geometric relationships or the like, unless otherwise indicated, any one or more, if not all of them, may be absolute or approximate to account for acceptable variations that may occur, for example, due to technical tolerances or the like.

[0037] As described below, example implementations of the disclosure of the present invention relate to aerosol delivery devices. Aerosol delivery devices according to the disclosure of the present invention use electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent) to produce an inhalable substance; and the components of such systems are in the form of articles, most preferably compact enough to be considered portable devices. In other words, the use of the components of the preferred aerosol delivery devices does not produce smoke in the sense that the aerosol arises primarily from by-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, the use of the preferred systems results in the formation of vapors generated by the evaporation or evaporation process of certain components included in them. In some exemplary embodiments, components of aerosol delivery devices may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and said electronic cigarettes most preferably include tobacco and/or tobacco-derived components and thereby deliver tobacco-derived components in an aerosol form.

[0038] The aerosol-generating means of certain preferred aerosol delivery devices can provide a variety of sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes and aromas, organoleptic effects, physical sensation, rituals of use, visual cues such as those provided by a visible aerosol, and the like) smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe that involves lighting and burning tobacco (and then inhaling tobacco smoke) without any significant combustion of any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention may hold and use the device in the same manner as a smoker uses a traditional type of smoking article by taking a puff through one end of said means to inhale the aerosol generated by the means, taking or taking puffs at selected intervals and the like.

[0039] While systems generally are described herein in terms of embodiments associated with aerosol delivery devices such as so-called “electronic cigarettes,” “heated tobacco products,” and the like (generally referred to as e-cigarettes), it should be understood that that mechanisms, components, features and methods can be implemented in many different forms and associated with different products. For example, the disclosure herein may be used in conjunction with embodiments of traditional smoking products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), heated but non-burning cigarettes, and associated with packaging for any of the products disclosed herein. this document. Accordingly, it should be understood that the descriptions of the mechanisms, components, features and methods disclosed herein are in terms of embodiments related to aerosol delivery devices by way of example only and may be implemented and used in various other products and methods.

[0040] The proposed aerosol delivery devices can also be characterized as vapor-generating products or drug delivery products. Thus, such articles or devices may be adapted to deliver one or more substances (eg, flavoring agents and/or pharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhaled substances may be essentially in the form of a vapor (eg, a substance that is in the gaseous phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhaled substances may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., 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 human inhalation, whether or not visible and whether or not in a form that may be considered "smoke-like".

[0041] When used, the proposed aerosol delivery devices can be used in various physical activities of a person using a traditional type of smoking product (eg, a cigarette, cigar, or pipe that is consumed by lighting and inhaling tobacco). For example, a user of the aerosol delivery device of the present invention may hold the article like a traditional smoking article, puffing through one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, taking or taking puffs at selected intervals, and the like.

[0042] Aerosol delivery devices according to the disclosure of the present invention generally comprise a number of components located within an outer casing, which may be referred to as a housing or shell. The overall design of the housing may vary, and the configuration or format of the housing, which may define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device, may also vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar may be formed from one single housing, or the elongated housing may be formed from two or more separable housings. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include an elongated housing that may be substantially tubular in shape and thus resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all components of the aerosol delivery device are located in a single housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may comprise two or more housings that are connected and removable. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have at one end a control housing comprising a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a battery such as a rechargeable battery, a solid-state battery, and/or a rechargeable supercapacitor, and various electronic equipment for controlling the operation of the product) and at the other end a removably attached outer housing or shell containing a disposable portion (for example, a disposable cartridge containing a flavor). More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components located within single housing type units or within a releasably multi-part housing type unit will be apparent in light of the further disclosure of the invention presented below. In addition, the configuration of various aerosol delivery devices and the arrangement of components can be understood by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. It should be understood that alternative non-tubular housing form factors may also be used, including, for example, device housings having the shape and size typically approximating a cigarette pack, and form factors such as those used in GLO™ manufactured by British American Tobacco, and IQOS™, manufactured by Philip Morris International.

[0043] Aerosol delivery devices according to the disclosure of the present invention most preferably include some combination of a power source (e.g., an electrical power supply), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping power to generate heat, for example, by controlling the flow of electrical current from a power source to other components of the aerosol delivery device), at least one heating element (for example, an electrical resistive or induction heating element or component(s), commonly referred to as or referred to as an "atomizer" portion when implemented in an aerosol delivery device configured to atomize a liquid aerosol precursor composition) and an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., solid tobacco material, semi-solid tobacco material, or a liquid aerosol precursor composition), and a mouthpiece end or tip region to allow puffing through the aerosol delivery device to inhalation of the aerosol (eg, providing a predetermined path for air flow through the product so that the generated aerosol can be removed from it after taking a puff).

[0044] In the proposed aerosol delivery device, the alignment of the components may be different. In specific embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may be located near the end of the aerosol delivery device, which may be configured to be positioned closer to the user's mouth to increase delivery of the aerosol to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. In general, the heating element may be located sufficiently close to the aerosol precursor composition such that heat from the heating element can vaporize the aerosol precursor (as well as one or more flavorings, medications, etc., which may also be provided for delivery to the user) and form aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed, released or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. It should be noted that the above terms should be considered interchangeable, so that forms of the above term such as "release", "release", "releases" or "released" include forms such as "form" or "generate", "forming" or "generating", "forming" or "generating" and "formed" or "generated". In particular, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or aerosol or a mixture thereof, which conditions are also used interchangeably herein unless otherwise indicated.

[0045] As discussed above, the aerosol delivery device may include a battery, solid state battery, or other power source to provide sufficient electrical current to provide various functions of the aerosol delivery device, such as powering the at least one heating element, powering control systems, powering indicators etc. The power source may have various implementation options. Preferably, the power source is configured to supply sufficient energy to rapidly activate the heating element to enable formation of an aerosol and power the aerosol delivery device for use for the required period of time. The power source is preferably sized to fit comfortably within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be conveniently used. In addition, the preferred power source is lightweight enough to not interfere with the desired smoking process.

[0046] More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components in an aerosol delivery device in accordance with the present invention will be apparent in light of the further disclosure of the invention presented below. In addition, the selection of various components of aerosol delivery devices can be understood by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Further, the arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device can also be assessed by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices.

[0047] As described below, the present invention relates to aerosol delivery devices. Aerosol delivery devices may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor composition (sometimes referred to as a respirable agent) to produce an aerosol (respirable substance). The aerosol precursor composition may comprise one or more of the following: solid tobacco material, semi-solid tobacco material, or a liquid aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments, aerosol delivery devices may be configured to heat and produce an aerosol from a fluid aerosol precursor composition (eg, a liquid aerosol precursor composition). Such aerosol delivery device may be so-called electronic cigarettes.

[0048] Representative types of liquid aerosol precursor components and compositions are known and characterized in US Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., US Patent No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al., and US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al.; No. 2015/0020823 to Lipowicz et al. and No. 2015/0020830 to Koller, as well as PCT patent application WO 2014/182736 to Bowen et al. and US Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include aerosol precursors that are included in any of the number of representative products listed above. Also preferred are so-called "smoke juices" for electronic cigarettes, which are available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC. Effervescent material embodiments may be used with the aerosol precursor as described, by way of example, in US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0055494 to Hunt et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the use of effervescent materials is described, for example, in US patents No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al., No. 5,178,878 to Wehling et al., No. 5,223,264 to Wehling et al., No. 6,974,590 to Pather et al., no. 7,381,667 by Bergquist et al., No. 8,424,541 by Crawford et al., No. 8,627,828 by Strickland et al., and No. 9,307,787 by Sun et al., and US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0018539 by Brinkley et al. and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 97/06786 by Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0049] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs or other components for supporting an aerosol precursor are described in US Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261487 to Chapman et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2015 /0059780 by Davis et al., and US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0216232 by Bless et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Also, various absorbent materials, as well as the design and operation of these absorbent materials in certain types of electronic cigarettes, are described in US Pat. No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0050] In other embodiments, aerosol delivery devices may comprise heated but non-combustion devices configured to heat a solid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., an extruded tobacco rod) or a semi-solid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a glycerin-bearing tobacco paste). The aerosol precursor composition may contain tobacco pellets, tobacco pieces, tobacco strips, reconstituted tobacco material or combinations thereof and/or a mixture of finely ground tobacco, tobacco extract, spray-dried extract or other form of tobacco mixed with optional inorganic materials (such as calcium carbonate), optional flavoring agents and aerosol forming materials to form a substantially solid or moldable (eg, extruded) support. Representative types and compositions of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions are disclosed in US Patent No. 8,424,538 to Thomas et al., US Patent No. 8,464,726 to Sebastian et al., and US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0083150 to Conner et al. ., US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0157052 to Ademe et al., and US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0000188 to Nordskog et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional representative types of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions and formulations include those found in NEOSTIKS™ consumables as the aerosol source for the British American Tobacco Company's GLO™ product and in HEETS™ consumables as the aerosol source for the IQOS™ product , manufactured by Philip Morris International, Inc.

[0051] In various embodiments, the inhalable substance may specifically be a tobacco component or a tobacco-derived material (i.e., a material that is naturally present in tobacco and that may be directly isolated from tobacco or produced synthetically ). For example, the aerosol precursor composition may contain tobacco extract or fractions thereof combined with an inert support. The aerosol precursor composition may also contain unburned tobacco or a composition containing unburned tobacco that, when heated to a temperature below its combustion temperature, releases an inhalable substance. In some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may contain tobacco condensates or fractions thereof (ie, condensed components of smoke produced by combustion of tobacco, releasing flavorings and possibly nicotine).

[0052] The tobacco materials used in the present invention may vary and may contain, for example, fire-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Eastern or Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark fire-cured tobacco and shag, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos. or mixtures thereof. Tobacco materials may also include so-called "mixed" forms and processed forms, such as processed tobacco stems (e.g., cut rolled or cut puffed stems), expanded tobacco (e.g., puffed tobacco such as dry ice expanded tobacco, DIET), preferably in the form of cut filler), reconstituted tobaccos (for example, reconstituted tobaccos produced using paper or cast sheet manufacturing processes). Various representative types of tobacco, processed types of tobacco and types of tobacco mixtures are shown in US Patent No. 4,836,224 by Lawson et al.; in US patent No. 4,924,888 by Perfetti et al.; in US patent No. 5,056,537 by Brown et al.; in US patent No. 5,159,942 by Brinkley et al.; in US Patent No. 5,220,930 by Gentry; in US patent No. 5,360,023 by Blakley et al.; in US patent No. 6,701,936 by Shafer et al.; in US patent No. 7,011,096 by Li et al.; in US patent No. 7,017,585 by Li et al.; in US Patent No. 7,025,066 by Lawson et al.; in US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0255965 by Perfetti et al.; in PCT patent application publication WO 02/37990 by Bereman and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, pp. 11-17, which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional examples of tobacco compositions that can be used in a smoking device, including those in accordance with the present invention, are disclosed in US Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0053] In addition, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise an inert support having the respirable substance or precursor thereof embedded or otherwise applied thereto. For example, a liquid containing a respirable substance may be applied to, absorbed or adsorbed into an inert support such that, when heated, the respirable substance is released in a form that can be extracted from the article of the invention by application of a positive or negative pressure. In some aspects, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise a mixture of flavored and aromatic tobaccos in the form of cut filler. In another aspect, the aerosol precursor composition may contain reconstituted tobacco material, such as described in US Pat. No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al., US Pat. No. 4,889,143 to Pryor et al., and US Pat. No. 5,025,814 to Raker, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. For additional information regarding a suitable aerosol precursor composition, see US Patent Application No. 15/916,834 to Sur et al., filed March 9, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0054] Regardless of the type of heated aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol delivery device may include at least one heating element configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments, the heating element is an induction heater. Such heaters often contain an induction transmitter and an induction receiver. The induction transmitter may include a coil configured to produce an oscillating magnetic field (eg, a magnetic field that varies periodically over time) when an alternating current is passed through it. The induction receiver may be at least partially housed within the induction transmitter and may contain conductive material. By directing alternating current through an induction transmitter, eddy currents can be generated in the induction receiver by induction. Eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material forming the induction receiver can heat it using Joule heat (i.e., the Joule effect). The induction receiver, which may form the atomizer, can be heated wirelessly to form an aerosol of the aerosol precursor composition located in the vicinity of the induction receiver. Various embodiments of an induction heater aerosol delivery device are described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0127722 by Davis et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202266 by Sur et al., and US Patent Application No. 15/352,153 by Sur et al. filed Nov. 15, 2016, U.S. Patent Application No. 15/799,365 by Sebastian et al. filed Oct. 31, 2017, and U.S. Patent Application No. 15/836,086 filed by by Sur, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] In other embodiments, including those described more specifically herein, the heating element is a conductive heater, such as in the case of an electric resistance heater. These heaters may be configured to generate heat when electrical current is passed through them. In various embodiments, the conduction heater can be made in various forms, such as foil, foam, discs, coils, fibers, wires, films, threads, strips, tapes or cylinders. Such heaters often contain metallic material and are configured to generate heat as a result of electrical resistance associated with the passage of electric current through them. Such resistive heaters may be positioned adjacent to the aerosol precursor composition to heat it to produce an aerosol. A variety of conductive substrates that can be used with the present invention are described in the above publication of US patent application No. 2013/0255702 by Griffith et al.

[0056] In some embodiments, aerosol delivery devices may comprise a control housing and a cartridge in the case of so-called electronic cigarettes, or a control housing and an aerosol source element in the case of so-called heat-but-not-burn devices. In the case of electronic cigarettes or heat-but-not-burn devices, the control body may be reusable, while the aerosol source cartridge/element may be limited-use and/or disposable. The aerosol source cartridge/element may contain an aerosol precursor composition. To heat the aerosol precursor composition, a heating element may be located in contact with or adjacent to the aerosol precursor composition, for example, across the width of the control housing and cartridge, or in the control housing in which the aerosol source element may be located. The control housing may include a power source that may be rechargeable or replaceable and thus the control housing may be reused with a plurality of aerosol source cartridges/elements.

[0057] The control housing may also include means for activating the aerosol delivery device, such as a button, touch surface, or the like to manually control the device. Additionally or alternatively, the control housing may include a flow sensor to detect when a user draws on the aerosol source cartridge/element to thereby activate the aerosol delivery device.

[0058] In various embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 200 according to the disclosure of the present invention may take various general shapes, including, without limitation, a general shape that may be defined as a substantially rod-shaped or substantially tubular shape or a substantially cylindrical shape. In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described with reference thereto, the aerosol delivery device has a substantially circular cross-section, however, other cross-sectional shapes (eg, oval, square, triangle, etc.) are also covered by the disclosure of the present invention. Such language, which describes the physical form of the product, can also be applied to its individual components, including the control housing and the cartridge/aerosol source element. In other embodiments, the control housing may take another portable shape, such as a small box shape.

[0059] In more specific embodiments, the control body and aerosol source cartridge/element may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control housing may have a power source such as a replaceable or rechargeable battery, a solid-state battery, a thin-film solid-state battery, a rechargeable supercapacitor, or the like. One example of a power source is the TKI-1550 lithium-ion battery, manufactured by the German company Tadiran Batteries GmbH. In another embodiment, a suitable power source may be a N50-AAA CADNICA nickel-cadmium cell manufactured by Sanyo Electric Company, Ltd., Japan. In other embodiments, multiple such batteries, for example each providing 1.2 volts, may be connected in series. Thus, in some examples, the power supply may be combined with any type of recharging technology, including connection to a conventional wall charger, connection to a car charger (such as a cigarette lighter socket), and connection to a computer, such as via a cable or universal serial connector. bus (USB) (e.g. USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type C), connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes listed as a solar photovoltaic cell) or to a solar photovoltaic cell panel or wireless chargers such as those based on radio frequency ( RF), inductive and the like. Also in some embodiments of an electronic cigarette, the cartridge may be a disposable cartridge, as described in US Pat. No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0060] Examples of electrical power sources are described in US Patent No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al. and US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0112191 to Sur et al., filed October 21, 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference . With respect to the flow sensor, specific electrical current control components and other electrical current control components, including various microcontrollers, sensors and switches for aerosol delivery devices, are described in US Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; in US patents No. 4,922,901, No. 4,947,874 and No. 4,947,875 by Brooks et al.; in US patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al.; in US patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al.; in US patent No. 7,040,314 by Nguyen et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 8,881,737 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., and Patent Application Publication US No. 2015/0257445 by Henry et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] As stated above, the aerosol delivery device may include at least one control component. A suitable control component may comprise a plurality of electronic components and, in some examples, may be formed on a printed circuit board (PCB). In some examples, the electronic components include processing circuitry configured to perform data processing, application execution, or other processing, monitoring, or control services according to one or more example implementations. The processing circuitry may include a processor implemented in various forms, such as at least one processor core, microprocessor, coprocessor, controller, microcontroller, or various other computing or processing devices including one or more integrated circuits, such as, for example, an ASIC (Application Application Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), some combinations thereof, and the like. In some examples, the processing circuitry may comprise a memory coupled to or incorporated into the processor, which may store data, instructions for a computer program executable by the processor, some combination thereof, or the like.

[0062] In some examples, the control component may include one or more external input/output devices that may be coupled to or incorporated into the processing circuitry. More specifically, the control component may include a communications interface for providing wireless connectivity to one or more networks, computing devices, or other devices on a suitable basis. Examples of suitable communication interfaces are disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0261020 by Marion et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Another example of a suitable communication interface is the CC3200 single-chip wireless microcontroller unit from Texas Instruments. And examples of suitable methods by which an aerosol delivery device can be configured to communicate wirelessly are disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0007651 to Ampolini et al., and US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0219933 to Henry , Jr. and others, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] Other additional components may be used in the proposed aerosol delivery device. One example of a suitable component is an indicator, such as light-emitting diodes, quantum dot light-emitting diodes or the like, which can glow when the aerosol delivery device is used. Examples of suitable light-emitting diode components, as well as their design and use, are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent No. 9,451,791 to by Sears et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] Other operating indications are also covered by the disclosure of the present invention. For example, visual performance indicators also include changes in light color or intensity to show smoking progression. Tactile (haptic) operation indicators and audible (audio) operation indicators are likewise covered by the present disclosure. Moreover, combinations of such performance indicators are also suitable for use in a single smoking article. According to another aspect, the aerosol delivery device may include one or more indicators or features, such as, for example, a display, configured to provide information relevant to the operation of the smoking article, such as, for example, the amount of power remaining in the power source, the progression of the smoking process, an indication corresponding to the activation of a heat source, and/or the like.

[0065] Still other components are also discussed. For example, US Pat. No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al. discloses indicators for smoking articles; US Patent No. 5,261,424 by Sprinkel Jr. discloses piezoelectric sensors that may be provided on the mouth end of the device to detect the user's lip activity associated with taking a puff and subsequently triggering heating; US Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al. discloses a tightening sensor for controlling the flow of energy in a thermal load array in response to the tightening resistance of a mouthpiece; US Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses receptacles in a smoking device that include an identifier that detects a discontinuity in the infrared transmittance value of an inserted component and a controller that executes a detection program when the component is inserted into the receptacle; US Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. describes a specific executable power cycle with multiple differential phases; US Patent No. 5,934,289 by Watkins et al discloses photonic-optocoupler components; U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means for varying draw resistance through a smoking device; US Patent No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses certain battery configurations for use in smoking devices; US Pat. No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with smoking devices; U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. discloses computer communications for smoking devices designed to facilitate charging and allow automated control of the device; US Pat. No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al. discloses identification systems for smoking devices; and PCT patent application publication WO 2010/003480 by Flick discloses a fluid flow detection system indicating the presence of a puff in an aerosol generation system; and the contents of all of the above inventions are incorporated into this application by reference.

[0066] Further examples of components associated with electronic aerosol delivery products and disclosing materials and components that may be used in the present article are described in US Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; No. 5,249,586 by Morgan et al.; No. 5,666,977 by Higgins et al.; No. 6,053,176 by Adams et al.; No. 6,164,287 by White; No. 6,196,218 by Voges; No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al.; #6,854,461 by Nickols; No. 7,832,410 by Hon; #7,513,253 by Kobayashi; No. 7,896,006 by Hamano; No. 6,772,756 by Shayan; No. 8,156,944 and No. 8,375,957 by Hon; No. 8,794,231 by Thorens et al.; No. 8,851,083 by Oglesby et al.; No. 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 by Monsees et al.; No. 9,220,302 by DePiano et al.; publications of US patent applications No. 2006/0196518 and No. 2009/0188490 by Hon; publication of US patent application No. 2010/0024834 by Oglesby et al.; US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0307518 by Wang; publication of patent application PCT WO 2010/091593 by Hon and publication of patent application PCT WO 2013/089551 by Foo, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Additionally, US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0099877 to Worm et al discloses capsules that can be included in aerosol delivery devices and configurations for aerosol delivery devices in the form of a key fob, and is incorporated herein by reference. The various materials disclosed in the foregoing documents may be included in the present devices in various embodiments, and all of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] Other features, controls or components that may be contained in aerosol delivery devices according to the disclosure of the present invention are described in US Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., in US Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., in Patent U.S. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0016550 to Katase, in US Patent No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al., in US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0192623 to Tucker et al., in US Patent No. 9,427,022 to Leven et al., in publication US Patent Application No. 2013/0180553 to Kim et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., and in US Patent No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] In FIG. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show embodiments of an aerosol delivery device containing a control housing and an element in the form of an aerosol source in the case of a device with heating but without combustion. For further details regarding embodiments of an aerosol delivery device comprising a control body and a cartridge in the case of an electronic cigarette, see the above US Patent Application No. 15/916,834 by Sur et al. and US Patent Application No. 15/916,696 by Sur , filed March 9, 2018, which is also incorporated herein by reference.

[0069] More specifically, in FIG. 1 shows an aerosol delivery device 100 according to an example implementation of the disclosure of the present invention. The aerosol delivery device may include a control housing 102 and an aerosol source element 104. In various embodiments, the aerosol source element and the control housing may be aligned for permanent or detachable operation. In this regard, FIG. 1 shows the aerosol delivery device in a coupled configuration, and FIG. 2 shows the aerosol delivery device in a disconnected configuration. Various mechanisms may connect the aerosol source element and the control body, for example, in the form of a threaded interaction, a press-fit interaction, an interference fit, a sliding fit, a magnetic interaction, and the like.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 2, in various embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol source element 104 may include a heated end 206 that is insertable into the control housing 102 and a mouthpiece end 208 upon which the user draws to create an aerosol. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the heated end may comprise an aerosol precursor composition 210.

[0071] In various embodiments, the aerosol source element 104, or a portion thereof, may be wrapped in an outer wrapping material 212, which may be formed from any material suitable to provide additional structure and/or support to the aerosol source element. In various embodiments, the outer wrap material may comprise a material that resists heat transfer, which may include paper or other fibrous material such as cellulose material. The outer wrap material may also include at least one filler material embedded in or dispersed within the fibrous material. In various embodiments, the filler material may be in the form of water-insoluble particles. Additionally, the filler material may include inorganic components. In various embodiments, the outer wrapper material may be formed from a plurality of layers, such as an underlying layer, a bulk layer, and an overlying layer, such as a typical wrapping paper in a cigarette. Such materials may include, for example, lightweight recycled fibers such as flax, hemp, sisal, rice stalks and/or esparto. The outer wrapper material may also contain a material commonly used in a conventional cigarette filter element, such as cellulose acetate. In addition, the excess length of the outer wrap material at the mouthpiece end 208 of the aerosol source element may simply serve to separate the aerosol precursor composition 210 from the consumer's mouth or to provide space for housing the filter material, as described below, or to affect the puff taken by the user. product, or the characteristics of the flow of vapor or aerosol exiting the device during a puff. Further discussion regarding outer wrap material configurations that can be used with the present invention can be found in the above-cited U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al.

[0072] In various embodiments, other components may exist between the aerosol precursor composition 210 and the mouthpiece end 208 of the aerosol source element 104, and the mouthpiece end may include a filter 214. For example, in some embodiments, between the aerosol precursor composition and the mouthpiece end of the neck may be located one or any combination of the following: an air gap; phase change materials for air cooling; aroma release agent; ion exchange fibers capable of selective chemical adsorption; airgel particles as a filter medium; and other suitable materials.

[0073] Various embodiments of the present invention use a conduction heater to heat the aerosol precursor composition 210. The conduction heater may comprise a resistive electric heater in direct contact with or adjacent to the aerosol source element and, in particular, the aerosol precursor composition of the aerosol source element 104. The resistive electric heater can be located in the control housing and/or element in the form of an aerosol source. In some cases, the aerosol precursor composition may include a structure in contact with the aerosol precursor composition or a plurality of beads or particles embedded therein or otherwise forming a part thereof that can serve as a heater or facilitate its operation.

[0074] In FIG. 3 is a front view of an aerosol delivery device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 3. In particular, the control housing 102 of the illustrated embodiment may include a housing 316 that includes an opening 318 formed at its interacting end, a flow sensor 320 (e.g., a puff sensor or a pressure switch), a control component 322 (e.g., a processing circuit, etc.) etc.), a power source 324 (eg, a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery, a solid-state battery, and/or a rechargeable supercapacitor), and an end cap that includes an indicator 326 (eg, an LED).

[0075] In one embodiment, indicator 326 may include one or more light-emitting diodes, quantum dot light-emitting diodes, or the like. The indicator may be communicatively coupled to control component 322 and may illuminate, for example, when a user puffs through aerosol source element 104 in connection with control housing 102, as detected by flow sensor 320.

[0076] The control housing 102 of the illustrated embodiment includes one or more heating assemblies 328 (individually or collectively referred to as a heating assembly) configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition 210 of the aerosol source element 104. The heating assembly of various embodiments of the present invention may take a variety of forms. In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and 4, the heating assembly includes an outer cylinder 330 and a segmented heater 332 including a plurality of heating elements 334, such as a plurality of electrically conductive pins (heater pins) that are physically separated and spaced apart. In some examples, each pin of a plurality of electrically conductive pins is a heating element of a plurality of heating elements of a segmented heater. In another example, a plurality of heating elements may be physically isolated or include resistive heating elements that may be located adjacent to respective regions of the outer surface of the element as an aerosol source. In another example, the plurality of heating elements may be or include physically isolated coils configured to generate localized/locally generated eddy currents in corresponding portions of the aerosol source element.

[0077] In examples in which the plurality of heating elements 334 are a plurality of heating pins, the heating pins may extend along the inner surface of the outer cylinder 330 and radially inward therefrom and thus longitudinally along the aerosol precursor composition 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer cylinder includes a double-walled vacuum tube made of stainless steel to support the heat generated by heating elements (e.g., heater pins) in the outer cylinder, and more specifically, to support the heat created by the heating elements in the aerosol precursor composition . In various embodiments, the heating elements may be made of one or more conductive materials, including, but not limited to, copper, aluminum, platinum, gold, silver, iron, steel, brass, bronze, graphite, or any combination thereof.

[0078] As shown in the drawing, the heating assembly 328 may extend proximate the interacting end of the housing 316 and may be configured to substantially surround a portion of the heating end 206 of the aerosol source element 104 that includes an aerosol precursor composition 210. Thus, the heating assembly may form an overall tubular configuration. As shown in FIG. 3 and 4, a segmented heater 332 (e.g., a plurality of heating elements 334) is surrounded by an outer cylinder 330 to form a receiving chamber 336. Thus, in various embodiments, the outer cylinder may comprise a non-conductive insulating material and/or structure including, but not limited to, an insulating polymer (such as plastic or cellulose), glass, rubber, ceramic, porcelain, double-walled vacuum construction, or any combination thereof.

[0079] In some embodiments, one or more parts or components of the heating assembly 328 may be combined with, packaged with, and/or integrally formed with the aerosol precursor composition 210. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may be formed from a material as described above and may contain one or more conductive materials mixed therewith. In some of these embodiments, the contacts may be coupled directly to the aerosol precursor composition such that the aerosol source element is inserted into the receiving chamber 336 of the control housing 102, the contacts making an electrical connection to the electrical power source. Alternatively, the contacts may be integral with the electrical power source and may extend into the receiving chamber such that when the aerosol source element 104 is inserted into the receiving chamber of the control housing, the contacts make an electrical connection to the aerosol precursor composition. Due to the presence of conductive material in the aerosol precursor composition, the application of energy from an electrical source to the aerosol precursor composition allows electrical current to flow, and thereby release heat from the conductive material. Thus, in some embodiments, the segmented heater 332 may be described as integral with the aerosol precursor composition. By way of non-limiting example, graphite or other suitable conductive material may be mixed with, embedded in, or otherwise present directly on or within the aerosol precursor composition material to form a segmented heater integral with said means.

[0080] As discussed above, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer cylinder 330 may also help facilitate proper positioning of the aerosol source element 104 when the aerosol source element is inserted into the housing 316. In various embodiments, the outer cylinder of the heating assembly 328 may cooperate with the inner surface of the casing ensuring alignment of the heating unit relative to the casing. Thus, as a result of the tight connection between the heating assembly, the longitudinal axis of the heating assembly can extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing. Specifically, the outer cylinder may extend from the housing opening 318 to the receiving base 338 to form the receiving chamber 336.

[0081] The size and shape of the heated end 206 of the aerosol source element 104 allows for insertion into the control housing 102. In various embodiments, the control housing receiving chamber 336 may be characterized as being formed by a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an inner volume receiving chamber. For example, in the illustrated embodiments, the outer cylinder 330 defines an internal surface defining the internal volume of the receiving chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner diameter of the outer cylinder may be slightly larger than or approximately equal to the outer diameter of the corresponding aerosol source element (for example, to create a sliding fit) such that the outer cylinder is configured to guide the aerosol source element towards proper position (eg lateral position) relative to the control housing. Thus, the largest outer diameter size (or other size depending on the particular cross-sectional shape of the embodiments) of the aerosol source element 304 may be smaller than the inner diameter (or other size) on the inner surface of the wall of the open end of the receiving chamber in the control housing. In some embodiments, the difference in the respective diameters may be small enough such that the aerosol source element fits tightly into the receiving chamber and frictional forces prevent the aerosol source element from moving without applying force. Alternatively, the difference may be sufficient to allow the aerosol source element to slide into or out of the receiving chamber without the need for excessive force.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, the control housing 102 is configured such that when the aerosol source element 104 is inserted into the control housing, the segmented heater 332 (e.g., heating elements 334) extend inwardly to at least an approximately radial center of at least portions of the aerosol precursor composition 210 of the heated end 206 of the aerosol source element. Thus, when used in conjunction with a solid or semi-solid aerosol precursor composition, the heating elements may be in direct contact with the aerosol precursor composition.

[0083] During use, the consumer initiates heating of the heating assembly 328 and, in particular, the segmented heater 332, which is located adjacent to the aerosol precursor composition 210 (or a specific layer thereof). Heating the aerosol precursor composition releases the respirable substance within the element 104 as an aerosol source to form a respirable substance. When a consumer inhales at the mouthpiece end 208 of the aerosol source element, air is drawn into the aerosol source element through an air inlet 340, such as openings or passages in the control housing 102. The combination of air drawn in and inhalable material released is inhaled by the consumer as it exits drawn materials from the mouth end of the element in the form of an aerosol source. In some embodiments, to initiate heating, the consumer may manually operate a button or similar component that causes the segmented heater of the heating assembly to receive electrical energy from a battery or other energy source. Electrical energy can be supplied for a predetermined period of time or it can be manually controlled.

[0084] In some embodiments, the flow of electrical energy does not substantially continue between puffs on the device 100 (although the flow of energy may continue to maintain a base temperature higher than the ambient temperature - for example, a temperature that promotes rapid heating to the active heating temperature). However, in the illustrated embodiment, heating is initiated by the user's tightening action through the use of one or more sensors, such as flow sensor 320. As soon as the puff is stopped, the heating will stop or decrease. When the user has taken a sufficient number of puffs to release a sufficient amount of inhalable substance (eg, an amount sufficient to equate to a typical smoking experience), the aerosol source element 104 may be removed from the control housing 102 and discarded. In some embodiments, additional sensing elements may be used, such as capacitive sensing elements and other sensors, as described in US patent application No. 15/707,461 to Phillips et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0085] In various embodiments, the aerosol source element 104 may be formed from any material suitable for forming and maintaining a suitable shape, such as a tubular shape, and for holding the aerosol precursor composition 210 therein. In some embodiments, the aerosol source element may be formed by a single wall, or in other embodiments by multiple walls, and may be formed from a material (natural or synthetic) that is resistant to high temperatures to maintain its structural integrity - e.g. collapse - at least at a temperature that is the heating temperature provided by the electrical heating element, as further described herein. Although in some embodiments a high temperature resistant polymer may be used, in other embodiments the aerosol source element may be formed from paper that is substantially straw shaped. As further described herein, the aerosol source element may have one or more layers associated therewith that serve to substantially prevent the movement of vapor between them. In one embodiment, an aluminum foil layer may be applied as a layer to one surface of an aerosol source element. Ceramic materials can also be used. In additional embodiments, an insulating material may be used to avoid unnecessary heat transfer from the aerosol precursor composition. Additional examples of the types of components and materials that may be used to provide the functions described above, or used as alternatives to the materials and components described above, may be of the types set forth in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/00186757 by Crooks and etc.; No. 2010/00186757 by Crooks et al.; and No. 2011/0041861 by Sebastian et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0086] In the illustrated embodiment, the control housing 102 includes a control component 322 that controls various functions of the aerosol delivery device 100, including powering the segmented heater 332. For example, the control component may include processing circuitry (which may be connected to additional components, as further described herein), which is connected by electrically conductive wires (not shown) to power supply 324. In various embodiments, the processing circuitry may control when and how the heating assembly 328, and in particular the heating elements 334, receive electrical energy to heat the aerosol precursor composition 210 to release the respirable substance for inhalation by the consumer. In some embodiments, such control may be activated by flow sensor 320, as described in more detail above.

[0087] As seen in FIG. 3 and 4, the heating assembly 328 of the illustrated embodiment includes an outer cylinder 330 and a segmented heater 332 (e.g., a plurality of heating elements 334) that extend along the outer cylinder 330. In some embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, in which the precursor composition 210 aerosol is solid or semi-solid, the plurality of heating elements are configured to penetrate the aerosol precursor composition contained in the heated end 206 of the aerosol source element 104 when the aerosol source element is inserted into the control housing 102. In such embodiments, one or more heating element components The assembly, including the heating elements, may be made of non-stick or stick-resistant material, such as concrete aluminum, copper, stainless steel, carbon steel and ceramic materials. In such embodiments, one or more heating assembly components, including heating elements, may be made of a nonstick coating, including, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coatings such as Teflon®, or other coatings such as a nonstick enamel coating or a ceramic coating such as Greblon® or Thermolon™, or a ceramic coating such as Greblon® or Thermolon™.

[0088] Additionally, although the illustrated embodiment has a plurality of heating elements 334 that are substantially evenly distributed along the outer cylinder 330, it should be noted that other embodiments may use any number of heater pins, including as few as two, with any another suitable spatial configuration. Additionally, the length of the heating elements may vary in different embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the heating elements may include small projections, while in other embodiments, the heating elements may extend over any portion of the diameter of the outer cylinder, including up to about 25%, up to about 50%, up to about 75%, and up to about full diameter of the outer cylinder. In yet other embodiments, heating assembly 328 may take other configurations. Examples of other heater configurations that may be contemplated for use in the present invention as discussed above can be found in US Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; No. 5,093,894 by Deevi et al.; No. 5,224,498 by Deevi et al.; #5,228,460 by Sprinkel Jr. and etc.; No. 5,322,075 by Deevi et al.; No. 5,353,813 by Deevi et al.; No. 5,468,936 by Deevi et al.; No. 5,498,850 by Das; No. 5,659,656 by Das; No. 5,498,855 by Deevi et al.; No. 5,530,225 by Hajaligol; No. 5,665,262 by Hajaligol; No. 5,573,692 by Das et al.; and No. 5,591,368 by Fleischhauer et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Another example of a different heater configuration that may be intended for use in the present disclosure can be found in PCT patent application publication WO No. 2017/153467 by Reevell®, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0089] In various embodiments, the control housing 102 may include an air intake 340 (e.g., one or more openings or passages) therein to allow air from the environment to enter the interior of the receiving chamber 336. Thus, in some embodiments, the receiving base 338 may also contain an air intake. Thus, in some embodiments, when a consumer puffs on the mouth end of the aerosol source element 104, air may be drawn through the air intake of the control housing and receiving base into the receiving chamber, pass into the aerosol source element, and be drawn through the aerosol precursor composition 210 element in the form of a source of aerosol for inhalation by the consumer. In some embodiments, the drawn air carries respirable material through the optional filter 214 and out of the opening at the mouthpiece end 208 of the element as an aerosol source. With the segmented heater 332 located within the aerosol precursor composition, the heating elements 334 can be activated to heat the aerosol precursor composition and can cause release of a respirable substance through the aerosol source element.

[0090] Other embodiments of the aerosol delivery device, control housing and aerosol source element are described in the above US Patent Application No. 15/916,834 by Sur et al. and US Patent Application No. 15/916,696 by Sur.

[0091] As described above, the aerosol delivery device of the exemplary embodiments may include circuitry in the context of either an electronic cigarette or a heat-but-not-burn device, or even in the case of a device that includes the functionality of each. in FIG. 5, 6 and 7 show electrical diagrams of aerosol delivery devices according to various example implementations of the disclosure of the present invention. More specifically, in FIG. 5, 6 and 7 show electrical diagrams of the aerosol delivery device 100 shown and described above in the context of a heated but non-combustion device, according to some example implementations of the disclosure of the present invention. It should be understood that electrical circuits are equally applicable to aerosol delivery devices in the context of electronic cigarettes. It should also be understood that the circuits depicted in the electrical diagrams may include additional or alternative components in various example implementations, including additional components such as those described elsewhere in this document.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 5, aerosol delivery device 100 includes a segmented heater 332 including a plurality of heating elements 334 that are individually configured to be powered to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition 210. The aerosol delivery device also includes a control component 322 coupled to a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater and configured to controlably power them individually. As also shown in the drawing, the control component includes logic circuit 502 coupled to the segmented heater and including a data input 504 and a plurality of outputs 506, each of which is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater.

[0093] The control component 322 also includes a processor 508 configured to generate a logic waveform signal 510 switched between a high voltage level and a low voltage level that represent a first value and a second value, respectively. In some examples, the first value and the second value are binary values, such as binary value 1 and binary value 0, respectively. In other examples, the values may be values of number systems having a base other than radix-2, such as base-8 (octal values), base-10 (decimal values) or base-16 (hexadecimal values), or other number encoding values, such as binary-coded decimal (BCD). The processor is coupled to a data input 504 of logic circuit 502 and is configured to apply thereto a logic signal including at least a first value so as to cause the logic circuit to provide the first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more of the plurality of outputs. outputs of 506 logic circuit. Thus, the processor is configured to power a respective one or more heating elements of the plurality of heating elements 334 of the segmented heater 332 to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition 210, while any other heating elements of the plurality of heating elements are simultaneously turned off.

[0094] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 further includes a sensor 512 (or one or more sensors), such as a sensing resistor, coupled to a plurality of outputs 506 and configured to sense voltage or current across heating elements of the plurality of segmented heating elements 334 heater 332. This sensor may provide a safety feature to the processor 508 to prevent damage to the aerosol delivery device caused by a voltage or current surge, and may also allow for further improvement or adjustment of the device.

[0095] In FIG. 6 shows an example in which logic circuit 502 is a demultiplexer 602 including a data input 504 and a plurality of outputs 506 and further including one or more selection inputs 604. In this example, processor 508 is further coupled to the selection input(s) and configured to select, through the selection input(s), the output(s) of the demultiplexer, thereby causing the demultiplexer to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level at the output(s). In some further examples, the processor is configured to select at most one output (one of the outputs) so as to cause the demultiplexer to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level on at most one output (one of the outputs ). In some examples, the first value and the second value are respective binary values, with the plurality of heating elements 334 being N heating elements arranged in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N. To select the output(s), the processor may then be configured to supply 2 ⁿ binary numbers in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N to the selection input(s) and thus select individual outputs from the plurality of outputs at the specified sequence and each within a given time interval.

[0096] In FIG. 7 shows an example in which logic circuit 502 is a serial-in parallel-out (SIPO) latch register 702 including a data input 504 and a plurality of outputs 506, and further including a latch input 704. In this example, logic signal 510 represents digits, each having a first value or a second value. To provide a logic signal, processor 508 may then be configured to supply digits sequentially to a data input. The SIPO latch shift register may be configured to respond to simultaneously supply digits in parallel to a plurality of outputs which it thereby causes, including one or more digits having a first value, thereby providing a high voltage level at the output(s). In some further examples, the digits for which the SIPO latch shift register is responsive to be supplied simultaneously in parallel include at most one digit having a first value. Similar to the above, in some examples in which the plurality of heating elements are N heating elements arranged in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N , the digits are bits, each having a first value or a second value, which are corresponding binary values. In this case, to supply digits, the processor may be configured to sequentially supply bits representing the binary numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n = 1, 2, 3, ... N , each within a specified time interval.

[0097] To further illustrate implementations in which logic circuit 502 is a SIPO latch shift register 702 and the digits are bits, each of which has a first value (e.g., binary value 1) or a second value (e.g., binary value 1) value 0), consider an example in which segmented heater 332 includes eight heating elements 334 and the SIPO latch shift register includes corresponding eight outputs 506. The SIPO latch shift register may include a clock input for synchronizing bits into the shift register. Eight bits can be latched in a shift register and then output simultaneously in parallel. The SIPO latch shift register may also include a voltage input that is supplied with 5 Volts (V) from power supply 324, either directly or through a buck or boost converter configured to respectively step down or step up the voltage from the power supply. The ground of the SIPO latch shift register may be connected to the ground of the processor 508.

[0098] The processor 508 may be configured to supply a sequence of eight-bit values to set the value of the parallel outputs 506. The sequence represents the supply voltage to the various heating elements 334 of the segmented heater 332. One example of a suitable sequence is the binary value 1 for a high voltage level ( 5V) to power the first of the heating elements for two seconds (other heating elements are disabled), then a binary value of 1 for a high voltage level to power the second of the heating elements for two seconds (other heating elements are disabled), and so on until the last of the heating elements for two seconds. This sequence may be interrupted between puffs on the aerosol delivery device 100. In this way, the processor can maintain a count that increases or decreases as the processor steps through the sequence, allowing the processor to start at the next heating element in the sequence when puffing, rather than simply resetting to the first heating element. The processor may reboot to the first heating element after stepping through all heating elements. In FIG. Figure 8 shows the voltages at the outputs of the SIPO shift register for the following sequence of eight-bit values:

10000000

01000000

00100000

00010000

00001000

00000100

00000010

00000001

[0099] As described above, the above-described scheme is applicable to aerosol delivery devices in the context of either an electronic cigarette or a heat-but-not-burn device, or even in the case of a device that includes the functionality of each. In the context of an electronic cigarette, the aerosol delivery device may comprise a control body and a cartridge. The cartridge may be formed from a housing (sometimes referred to as a cartridge shell) surrounding a plurality of reservoirs configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition (eg, a liquid aerosol precursor composition), which may be the same or different in different reservoirs. Each of the reservoirs also includes a corresponding heating element of the plurality of segmented heater heating elements. In various configurations, this structure may be called a container; and accordingly, the terms “cartridge,” “container,” and the like may be used interchangeably to refer to a shell or other housing enclosing the aerosol precursor composition reservoirs and containing the heating elements of the segmented heater.

[0100] in FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating various operations in a method 900 of controlling an aerosol delivery device comprising a housing configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition, a segmented heater including a plurality of heating elements that are individually configured to be powered for heating, and thereby evaporation of components of the aerosol precursor composition, according to various example implementations. As shown at block 902, the method includes generating a logic waveform signal switched between a high voltage level and a low voltage level that represent a first value and a second value, respectively. The method includes applying a logic signal including at least a first value to a data input of a logic circuit including a data input and a plurality of outputs, each of which is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater, as shown at block 904. The method also includes conditioning providing the logic circuit with a first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more outputs of the plurality of logic circuit outputs, thereby providing power to a corresponding one or more heating elements of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater for heating and thus evaporation components of the aerosol precursor composition 210, and any other heating elements of the plurality of heating elements are simultaneously turned off.

[0101] Many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates using the disclosures set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein and that 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 (31)

1. An aerosol delivery device containing: a housing configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition; a segmented heater including a plurality of heating elements that are individually configured to be powered to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; And a control component coupled to a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater and configured to controlably power them individually, the control component including: a logic circuit coupled to a segmented heater, wherein the logic circuit is a demultiplexer or serial-in parallel-out (SIPO) latch register and includes a data input and a plurality of outputs, each of which is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater; And a processor configured to generate a logic waveform signal switchable between a high voltage level and a low voltage level, which are a first value and a second value, respectively, wherein the processor is coupled to a data input of the logic circuit and is configured to supply a logic signal thereto , including at least a first value so as to cause the logic circuit to provide the first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more outputs of the plurality of outputs of the logic circuit, thereby providing power to corresponding one or more heating elements of a plurality of heating elements of a segmented heater for heating and thereby vaporizing components of the aerosol precursor composition, wherein any other heating elements of the plurality of heating elements are not simultaneously energized, wherein, when the logic circuit is a SIPO latch shift register, the logic signal is digits, each of which has a first value or a second value, and executing the processor with the ability to supply the logical signal includes executing it with the ability to sequentially supply the digits to the data input, wherein the SIPO latch shift register is configured to respond to and thus provide simultaneous digits in parallel to multiple outputs, including one or more digits having a first value, thereby providing a high voltage level on one or more outputs. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is a liquid or a solid or semi-solid. 3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of heating elements are a plurality of electrically conductive pins that are physically separated and spaced apart. 4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is a solid or semi-solid substance and the plurality of electrically conductive pins are physically separated and spaced longitudinally along the solid or semi-solid substance. 5. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the logic circuit is a demultiplexer including a data input and a plurality of outputs and further including one or more selection inputs, wherein the processor is further coupled to one or more selection inputs and configured to select, through the one or more selection inputs, one or more outputs of the demultiplexer, thereby causing the demultiplexer to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more more exits. 6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 5, wherein the first value and the second value are respective binary values, the plurality of heating elements being N heating elements arranged in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ..., N, and the execution of the processor with the possibility of selecting one or more outputs includes its execution with the possibility of supplying binary numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ..., N to one or more selection inputs and, thus, selecting individual outputs from a plurality of outputs in the specified sequence and each within a given time interval. 7. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, in which the logic circuit is a shift register latch with SIPO. 8. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 7, wherein the digits for simultaneous supply of which in parallel the shift register-latch with the SIPO is responsive include no more than one digit having a first value. 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7, wherein the digits are bits each having a first value or a second value which are corresponding binary values, the plurality of heating elements being N heating elements arranged in sequence n=1, 2, 3, ..., N, and executing the processor with the ability to supply digits includes executing it with the ability to sequentially supply bits representing the binary numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ..., N, each within a specified time interval . 10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to the plurality of outputs and configured to sense voltage or current across heating elements of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater. 11. A method of controlling an aerosol delivery device, including a housing configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition, a segmented heater including a plurality of heating elements that are individually configured to be powered to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; the method includes: generating a logic waveform signal switchable between a high voltage level and a low voltage level, which respectively represent the first value and the second value; supplying a logical signal including at least the first value to a data input of a logic circuit that is a demultiplexer or a serial-in parallel-out (SIPO) latch shift register and that includes a data input and a plurality of outputs , each of which is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater; And causing the logic circuit to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level at one or more outputs of the plurality of outputs of the logic circuit, thereby providing power to corresponding one or more heating elements of the plurality of heating elements of the segmented heater for heating and thus , evaporation of components of the aerosol precursor composition, and any other heating elements of the plurality of heating elements are not simultaneously energized, wherein, when the logic circuit is a SIPO latch shift register, the logical signal is digits, each having a first value or a second value, and the logic signal supply involves sequentially applying digits to a data input, wherein the SIPO latch shift register configured to respond to, and thus cause, simultaneous supply of digits in parallel to a plurality of outputs, including one or more digits having a first value, thereby providing a high voltage level at one or more outputs. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein powering the respective one or more heating elements comprises powering the respective one or more heating elements to heat and thereby vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition, which is a liquid or a solid or semi-solid. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein powering the respective one or more heating elements comprises powering the respective one or more heating elements from a plurality of heating elements that are a plurality of electrically conductive pins that are physically separated and spaced apart from each other. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein powering the respective one or more heating elements includes powering the respective one or more heating elements to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, which is a solid or semi-solid substance, and a plurality of electrically conductive pins physically separated and spaced longitudinally along a solid or semi-solid substance. 15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the logic circuit is a demultiplexer including a data input and a plurality of outputs and further including one or more selection inputs, wherein the method further includes selecting, through one or more select inputs, one or more outputs of the demultiplexer, thereby causing the demultiplexer to provide a first value and thus a high voltage level at the one or more outputs. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first value and the second value are corresponding binary values, the plurality of heating elements being N heating elements arranged in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ...N, and selecting one or more outputs involves applying binary numbers ²ⁿ in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ...N to one or more selection inputs and thereby selecting individual outputs from a plurality of outputs in the specified sequence and each within a specified time interval. 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the logic circuit is a SIPO latch shift register. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the digits for which the SIPO latch shift register is responsive to be supplied simultaneously in parallel include no more than one digit having a first value. 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the digits are bits, each of which has a first value or a second value, which are corresponding binary values, and the plurality of heating elements are N heating elements arranged in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ...N, and digit feeding involves sequentially feeding bits representing the numbers 2 ⁿ in the sequence n=1, 2, 3, ...N, each within a specified time interval.

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