UA128942C2 - ELECTRONIC AEROSOL DELIVERY SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic aerosol provision system, comprising an air pathway between an air inlet and an air outlet; and a vaporiser for generating vapour into the air pathway; wherein the air pathway between the air inlet and the vaporiser is configured to support laminar airflow.

Description

Engineering industry

The present invention relates to an electronic aerosol delivery device.

Background of the invention

A typical electronic aerosol delivery device includes an internal air path that provides a channel between one or more inlet openings and one or more outlet openings. A user of the electronic aerosol delivery device inhales at the air outlet opening(s) to create a flow of air through the device along the channel from the air inlet opening(s) to the air outlet opening(s).

An electronic aerosol delivery device generally also includes a source material (precursor material) that is used to generate the aerosol vapor. For example, some devices include a reservoir of liquid and a heater that is used to vaporize the liquid from the reservoir. In other devices, the heater may be used to generate volatiles from a solid material, which in turn forms a vapor or liquid. In some cases, the liquid or solid material may be provided in a replaceable cartridge. The vapor or aerosol is typically generated in a channel from the air inlet opening(s) to or migrates to the air outlet opening(s), and is carried by the air flow along the channel and out through the air outlet opening(s) for inhalation by the user.

The user experience of such an electronic aerosol delivery device depends on the vapor or aerosol that comes out of the inhalation device.

Brief description of the invention

The invention is defined in the appended claims.

The approach described herein provides an electronic aerosol delivery system comprising an air path between an air inlet and an air outlet and an evaporator for generating vapor in the air path. The air path between the air inlet and the evaporator is configured to maintain laminar air flow.

The approach described herein provides an electronic aerosol delivery system comprising an air path between an air inlet and an air outlet, a vaporizer for generating vapor in the air path, and a means for regulating the air path for controlling turbulence in the air path.

It should be understood that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention, and can be combined with them in a suitable manner, and not only in the specific combinations described above.

Brief description of graphic materials

The following will be described, by way of example only, embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an example of an electronic aerosol delivery system.

Fig. 2 shows an electronic aerosol delivery system comprising a linear air flow channel configured to maintain laminar air flow in accordance with the approach described herein.

Fig. C shows the particle size distributions of aerosol generated by an electronic aerosol delivery system such as that depicted in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows the particle size distributions of aerosol generated by an electronic aerosol delivery system such as that depicted in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows an electronic aerosol delivery system comprising a smoothly curved air flow channel configured to maintain laminar air flow in accordance with the approach described herein.

Fig. 6 shows an electronic aerosol delivery system comprising an air path control means for controlling turbulence in accordance with the approach described herein.

Fig. 7 shows another electronic aerosol delivery system comprising an air path control means for controlling turbulence in accordance with the approach described herein.

Detailed description

This document describes aspects and features of various examples. Some of these aspects and features may be implemented in a conventional manner and therefore, for reasons of brevity, may not be described in detail. It should be understood that such aspects and features that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with appropriate conventional techniques.

This invention relates to electronic aerosol delivery systems, which may also be referred to as electronic vapor delivery systems, e-cigarettes, etc. In the following description 60, the terms "e-cigarette", "electronic cigarette", "electronic aerosol delivery system" and

"electronic vapor delivery system" may be used interchangeably unless the context otherwise requires. Similarly, the terms "device" and "system" may be used interchangeably, for example, "electronic aerosol delivery system" may be considered the same as "electronic aerosol delivery device" unless the context otherwise requires. In addition, as is customary in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol", as well as related terms such as "vaporize", "aerosolize" and "spray", may similarly be used interchangeably unless the context otherwise requires.

Such electronic aerosol delivery systems/devices are often provided in modular form, for example, comprising a control unit and a cartomizer (a cartomizer is a combination of a cartridge and a vaporizer). The term "electronic aerosol delivery system/device" is used herein to refer to one or more modules (such as a control unit) that operate (contain components) to generate an aerosol or vapor. Such a system/device may be provided with the ability to receive one or more additional modules, for example a module (cartridge) containing a liquid or other precursor material to be vaporized, or they may be provided in combination with one or more additional modules.

One common configuration for an electronic aerosol delivery system/device comprising a modular assembly includes a reusable portion (main control unit) and a disposable (replaceable) cartridge portion, also referred to as a consumable. The disposable cartridge portion contains the vapor (aerosol) precursor material and may (in some implementations) also contain an atomizer (aerosol generation device) to form a cartomizer. The reusable portion often contains a power source, such as a battery, and control circuitry for the device/system. Depending on the functional purpose, these portions may include additional components. For example, the reusable portion may include a user interface for receiving input from the user and displaying operating status characteristics, and the replaceable cartridge portion may include a temperature sensor to assist in regulating the temperature of the atomizer.

The cartridge-shaped part is usually electrically and mechanically connected to the control unit for use. When the cartridge is depleted (completely consumed) of vapor precursor material or the user wishes to replace it with another cartridge containing (for example) a different vapor precursor material, the cartridge can be removed from the control unit and a replacement cartridge can be provided in its place. Devices that conform to this type of modular two-part configuration are sometimes referred to as two-part devices.

Some of the devices/systems described herein are based on an elongated two-part device/system that utilizes replaceable cartridges. However, it should be noted that the approach described herein can also be applied to various configurations of the electronic aerosol delivery system/device, such as one-piece devices or modular devices containing more than two parts, refillable devices, and single-use, disposable devices. Additionally, the approach described herein can be applied to devices/systems that have other geometric shapes (not necessarily elongated), such as those based on so-called "boxmods" - high-performance devices that typically have a shape more similar to a box.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a first electronic aerosol delivery device 20. The e-cigarette 20 includes two main sections, namely a control section 22 and a cartridge section 24. In some embodiments, the cartridge section and the control section are separate parts that can be detached from each other. During normal use, the control portion 22 and the cartridge portion 24 are detachably connected to each other at a separation interface 26. When the cartridge portion 24 is exhausted (having exhausted the aerosol precursor material therein) or the user wishes to replace it with another cartridge, the cartridge 24 can be detached from the control portion 22. The detached cartridge can then be disposed of (if completely exhausted) and a replacement cartridge can be attached to the control portion. Another possibility is that the same cartridge portion 24 can be refilled and reconnected to the control portion 22. In other embodiments, the cartridge portion 24 can be configured to be refillable while still connected to the control portion 22 (in which case the cartridge portion 24 could potentially be permanently attached to the control portion 22).

The separation boundary 26 generally provides a structural (mechanical) connection, an electrical connection, and an air path connection between the control section 22 and the cartridge section 24. For example, the separation boundary 26 may provide suitably located electrical contacts to establish various electrical connections between the two sections. Similarly, the separation boundary may suitably support (define) an air flow channel (path) between the two sections.

It should be understood that other embodiments of the electronic aerosol delivery system 20 may have different configurations; moreover, various features of the various embodiments described herein may be suitably mixed. For example, in some embodiments, the control section 22 and the cartridge section 24 may be bonded (rather than separable); as noted above, this may be the case if the cartridge section 24 is configured to be refillable or refillable. In some embodiments, the vaporizer may be provided in the control section 22 rather than in the cartridge section 24, in which case the separation boundary 26 may be configured to allow the transfer of vapor precursor material (e.g., liquid) from the cartridge section 24 to the control section 22 without the need to support the transfer of electrical energy from the control section 22 to the cartridge section 24. In some embodiments, the separation boundary 26 may support wireless power transfer from the control section to the cartridge section, for example, based on electromagnetic induction. In this case, a direct physical (electrical) connection between the control section 22 and the cartridge section 24 may not be provided. Additionally, in some embodiments, the air path through the electronic aerosol delivery device 20 may not pass through the control section 22 and therefore the separation boundary 26 may not include an air channel connection between the control section 22 and the cartridge section 24. Various other possible implementations will be known to those skilled in the art.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, the cartridge section 24 includes a cartridge housing 62, which may be made of plastic or any other suitable material. The cartridge housing 62 supports the other components of the cartridge section 24 and provides a mechanical interface with the control section 22 as part of the interface 26. The cartridge section includes an air flow channel (or tract) 72 and a mouthpiece 70 that defines an opening 71 for air to exit the air flow channel 72.

Within the cartridge housing 62 is a reservoir 64 containing a liquid to provide vapor precursor material; it is often referred to as e-cigarette liquid.

The liquid reservoir 64 in the device shown in Fig. 1 is in the form of an annulus located proximate (around) the air flow channel 72. The shape of the reservoir 64 is defined by an outer wall, which is provided by the cartridge body 62, and an inner wall, which forms the outer surface or boundary of the air flow channel 72 through the cartridge section 24. The reservoir 64 is closed at each end to contain the e-cigarette liquid, by a mouthpiece 70 at the downstream end of the cartridge section 24 and by a body 62, which forms the boundary 26 of separation, at the upstream end.

The cartridge section 24 further includes a wick (liquid transport element) 66 and a heater (evaporator) 68. In the device shown in Fig. 1, the wick 66 extends transversely through the cartridge air flow channel 72, i.e. perpendicular to the direction of air flow along the channel 72. Each end of the wick is configured to draw liquid from the reservoir 64 through one or more openings in the interior wall of the liquid reservoir 64.

The e-cigarette liquid permeates the wick 66 and is drawn along the wick 66 by capillary action (i.e., wick effect). The heater 68 may be an electroresistive wire wound into a spiral around the wick 66, such as a nickel-chromium alloy (Cr2O3) wire, and the wick 66 may comprise a tow of fiberglass or a tow of cotton fibers.

Many other options will be apparent to one skilled in the art; for example, the wick may be made of ceramic, the wick and heater coil may be arranged in a longitudinal direction rather than a transverse direction, there may be multiple heater coils 68, there may be multiple wicks 66, the heater 68 may have a flat configuration, and so on.

In use, electrical energy may be applied to the heater 68 to vaporize a quantity of e-cigarette liquid (vapor precursor material) drawn by the wick 6b to a location near the heater 68. The vaporized e-cigarette liquid is then entrained in air drawn along the cartridge airflow channel 72 toward the mouthpiece outlet 70 for inhalation by the user. The rate at which the e-cigarette liquid is vaporized by the vaporizer (heater) 68 generally depends on the amount of energy applied to the heater 68, as well as the efficiency or fluid transport capability of the wick 66. In some devices, the rate of vapor generation (vaporization rate) may be varied by varying the amount of energy applied to the heater 68, such as by using pulse width modulation and/or frequency modulation techniques. In general, the vapor of the e-cigarette liquid produced by the heater 68 is cooled in the air flow channel 72 and at least partially condensed into particles (small droplets of liquid), thereby forming an aerosol. It is this aerosol that is then inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece openings 71.

The control section 22, shown in Fig. 1, includes an outer housing 32 with an opening that forms an air intake port 48 for the e-cigarette 20, a battery 46 for providing electrical power for operating the e-cigarette 20, a control circuit 38 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the e-cigarette 20, a user input button 34, and a visual indicator 44. The outer housing 32 is configured to accommodate a cartridge section 24, thereby providing a seamless integration (combination) of the two sections or parts at the interface 26 of separation.

For example, the outer housing 32 may include latches and/or recesses and/or any other suitable engaging features to receive corresponding features of the cartridge section 24.

The battery 46 is generally rechargeable and is charged via a charging connector in the control section housing 32, such as a IO5B connector (not shown in FIG. 1). The user input button 34 can be used to perform various control functions.

The display 44 may (for example) include one or more LEDs to display information about the charge status of the battery 46 or any other relevant information or indication. In some implementations, the user input button 34 and the display 44 may be combined into a single component. The control circuit 38 is configured (programmed) to control the operation of the electronic cigarette, for example to control the supply of power from the battery 46 to the heater 68 to generate vapor.

The air inlet port 48 communicates with the air flow path 50 through the control section 22. The control section path 50 in turn communicates with the cartridge air flow channel 72 via the separation boundary 26 when the control portion 22 and the cartridge portion 24 are connected. Thus, when the user inhales through the mouthpiece port 70, air is drawn in through the air inlet port 48, along the air path 50 of the control section, through the boundary 26, along the cartridge air flow channel 72, and out through the mouthpiece port 70 for inhalation by the user. In the example of FIG. 1, the air flow path 50 is configured such that the air flow through the air inlet port 48 is perpendicular to the air flow through the air outlet port 71 during inhalation by the user. In particular, the air inlet 48 is located on the side of the outer housing 32 (rather than in the base). Such an air inlet may be referred to as a side opening. The airflow path 50 includes a turn or corner, wherein the airflow during inhalation abruptly transitions from a first airflow direction from the air inlet 48 to a second airflow direction from the corner to the separation boundary 26. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the second direction of motion is perpendicular to the first direction of motion.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a second electronic aerosol delivery device 200. The components of the e-cigarette 200 of Fig. 2 are generally the same or similar to those described with respect to Fig. 1 (and are designated by the same reference numerals), and therefore such components will not be discussed again. However, unlike the first e-cigarette 20 of Fig. 1, which includes a side air inlet 48, the second e-cigarette 200 shown in Fig. 2 includes an air inlet 248 in the base (or bottom) of the e-cigarette (where the orientation of the e-cigarette is determined in the usual way, such that the mouthpiece 71 is on top). With this arrangement of the air inlet 248, the control section airflow path 250 and the cartridge section airflow path 72 are aligned axially, such that there is a straight path for the air along the length of the airflow path. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the airflow paths 250, 72 of the electronic vapor delivery system 200 are aligned such that the airflow through the device from the air inlet 248 to the vaporizer 68 and then outwardly through the mouthpiece 70 follows a substantially rectilinear (linear) path, i.e., moves in substantially one direction, without changes in direction, bends, turns, etc.

Although Fig. 2 shows one example in which the airflow paths in the control section 22 and the cartridge section 24 are in a coaxial (coaxial) configuration, it should be understood that such a configuration may be achieved in various ways in other embodiments. Furthermore, although the e-cigarette 200 is shown as comprising two modules (cartridge portion 24 and control portion 22), other embodiments may be made with the airflow paths 52 and 72 in a coaxial configuration as a single-piece device or otherwise as a system comprising more than two modules.

The straight (linear) configuration of the airflow channel 250 through the control section 22 shown in FIG. 2, compared to the curved (angled) configuration of the airflow channel 50 of the e-cigarette 20 shown in FIG. 1, helps maintain laminar airflow in the channel 250. In laminar airflow (also referred to herein as linear airflow), all of the air generally moves in parallel in the same direction. For example, for laminar airflow along a cylindrical tube, all of the air moves in parallel in the axial direction along the tube. The velocity of the air flow along the tube has a radial profile, depending on the distance from the center of the tube. Air moving along the central axis of the pipe moves fastest, and the velocity of the air flow gradually decreases with increasing distance from the center to zero velocity near the edge or wall of the pipe in a zone called the boundary layer.

Unlike laminar flow, the presence of elements such as corners, bends, obstacles, etc. in the path of the airflow generally introduces turbulence into the airflow. This turbulent airflow (also referred to herein as nonlinear airflow) is generated by and reflects localized variations in air pressure and other instabilities. For example, air passing around an obstacle (but close to it) may have a higher pressure than air passing further away from the obstacle; this may then be balanced by a region of relatively low pressure immediately behind the obstacle. Localized air movements essentially attempt to rebalance the pressure fluctuations, and therefore introduce turbulence into the airflow.

It is worth noting that such turbulence can also occur even in the axially aligned channel shown in Fig. 2. For example, if air is pushed through the pipe too quickly (i.e. with too large a pressure difference), the high level of radial shear caused by different axial velocities at different radial distances from the channel center disrupts the air flow, leading to instabilities and other forms of turbulence.

A dimensionless parameter called the Reynolds number (K) is often used to characterize laminar and turbulent flow regimes. The Reynolds number is defined as K-ycY/y, where y is the flow velocity, m is the viscosity, and Y is a characteristic flow dimension (e.g., the diameter of the pipe). In general, a low Reynolds number corresponds to laminar flow, and a high Reynolds number corresponds to turbulent flow. The transition between laminar and turbulent flow can typically occur for K in the range of 2000-3000 (although this transition point is usually sensitive to various factors and may lie outside this range under certain circumstances). It is worth noting that increasing the flow velocity increases the Reynolds number and therefore can cause a transition to turbulent flow, as noted above. In contrast, increasing the viscosity leads to a decrease in the Reynolds number.

Reynolds number; this can be explained by the fact that an increase in viscosity leads to the damping of turbulent motion.

Fig. 3 and 4 are graphs showing the particle size frequency distributions produced by the e-cigarettes of the first and second examples, namely the side-port device 20 shown in Fig. 1 and the linear flow device 200 shown in Fig. 2, respectively. Particle size refers to the size of the particles or droplets in the vapor or aerosol that exits the device through the air outlet openings 71. Each graph shows ten replicate particle size distribution measurements. Statistical summaries of the particle size frequency distribution for each measurement are given below in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1

E-cigarette with side opening 77717171. | Date-time | File. | Sm (95) (Oh (10) | Oh (50) oh (90)

Funny rent oh ovo ooo December 4, 2017 - 171204 bidet Noie g1

TM, |16:15:32.9528 12 o'clock 047 | 28) 289

Kon December 4, 2017 - 171204 5ide Noie /1 - M |16:16:02.9872 13 rootv 063 | t) 500 syukheviyuyuh December 4, 2017 - 171204 bidet Noie g1 ee GU) 16:16:33.0216 14 000201 0.82 1.68 3.33 kkokydkankh December 4, 2017 - 171204 bidet Noie g1 7 MI |16:17:03.0560 15 rootv) 065 | 50 | 85 lesyuko moyu December 4, 2017 - 171204 biae Noie "1

M |16:17:03.0904 16 oob2t 092 | 177 256 nanny rec December 4, 2017 - 171204 5ide Noie /1

EM |4v:18:03.1248 17 0.0018 | 0.86 1.71 3.33 -Y7 M) |16:18:33.1584 18 soo1y 087 | 770) 523

Table 1

E-cigarette with side opening 77717171. | Date-time | File. | Sm (9) (Oh (10) | Oh (50) | Oh (90) December 4, 2017 - 171204 bidet Noie g1 seenksnnm» at December 04, 2017 - 171204 bidet Noie g1 16:19:33.2272 110 00017 ov 81857

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Table 2

E-cigarette with direct linear flow 77117171 | Date-time | File. | Sm) (oh (10 oh (50) | Oh (90) pk nenny December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! BP reia 58 1 11:56:39.4... 11 bo0t4 020 | 053) 16 set December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! rp Beia 58 I

KIM) |11:57:09.3... 12 here | 023 | 062 | 153

Ka ; December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! rp Beia 58 I sko uh kkd December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! rp Beia 58 I he ok vve December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! rp Beia 58 I zvanni Zhe December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! рн Beia 58 I" mo roe

IM 11:59:39.5... 17 поот5) бо) 055 158 December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! ри рея 58 И вини конк December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! п Бея 58 Просотви ови | 125 од December 1 С та ооо15| 054 | 125 | 2 еко ох December 4, 2017 - 171214 a! рп Бея 58 И о

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The last three columns of each table define the particle size distribution parameters for that measurement. Thus, in the first row of Table 1, Ox(10) - 0.39 means that 1095 particles are smaller than 0.39 microns (μm), Ox(50) - 1.12 means that 5095 particles are smaller than 1.12 microns (μm) (i.e., the median size), and Ox(90) - 2.56 means that 9095 particles are smaller than 2.56 microns (μm). It is clear from a comparison of Figs. 3 and 4 (and the associated tables) that the particle size is generally smaller for the straight-through linear flow e-cigarette (such as that shown in Fig. 2) compared to the side-port e-cigarette (such as that shown in Fig. 1). It can also be concluded that the straight-through linear flow measurement results of Fig. 4 show a somewhat denser (more compact) distribution compared to the measurements of the side-hole variant in Fig. 3.

Without being limited by theory, it is believed that laminar (non-turbulent) airflow may produce aerosols with smaller particle sizes than non-laminar (turbulent) airflow because turbulence leads to more collisions between aerosol particles, and such collisions may lead to particle coalescence and, consequently, to an increase in particle size. In contrast, when the flow is laminar, particle coalescence may be reduced because essentially all of the airflow is parallel, aligned with respect to the axial direction. As a result, there is less mixing in the airflow and therefore less opportunity for coalescence. It is also possible that turbulence causes more vapor to come into contact with the particles and therefore causes the vapor to condense onto the particles more quickly (compared to laminar flow), which results in the formation of larger particles. This faster condensation of vapor onto existing particles may occur in addition to or instead of faster coalescence of particles.

It has been found that an improved user experience can be achieved with an electronic vapor delivery system that generally provides an aerosol with a smaller particle size for inhalation by the user. Without being limited by theory, this user preference for a smaller particle size may be the result of one or more factors, such as easier absorption of the particles by tissues, increased lightness and/or dispersion of the particles, greater uniformity (consistency) of the particles, increased distance of particle travel, and the like.

Given these user benefits, the airflow configuration of the e-cigarette 200 shown in FIG. 2 is advantageous over the airflow configuration of the e-cigarette 20 shown in FIG. 1 because the straight airflow channel 250 shown in FIG. 2 helps to provide laminar airflow, and consequently, smaller particle sizes, compared to the angled airflow channel 50 shown in FIG. 1. In practice, in many real-world devices, the airflow may contain both laminar and turbulent components. However, increasing the proportion of laminar components at the expense of turbulent components should also contribute to particle size reduction and, consequently, an improved user experience. Accordingly, the benefits of providing laminar flow are not two-fold (all or nothing), but rather can be realized by gradually increasing the proportion of laminar flow in a given device.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a third electronic aerosol delivery device 500. The components of the e-cigarette 500 of Fig. 5 are generally the same or similar to those described with respect to Fig. 1 (and are designated by the same reference numerals), and therefore such components will not be discussed again. However, unlike the exemplary e-cigarette 20 shown in Fig. 1, which includes a side air inlet 48 with an angled air flow channel 50, and unlike the exemplary e-cigarette 200 shown in Fig. 2, which includes an air inlet 248 in the base (or bottom) of the e-cigarette 200 to provide a straight (linear) air flow channel 250, the e-cigarette 500 of Fig. 5 includes an airflow path 550 in the control section 22 that has a side opening 548 (as in the e-cigarette 20 of FIG. 1 ), but includes a smooth continuous curve for the airflow channel 550 between the air inlet opening 548 (side opening) and the separation boundary 26.

This choice of airflow path configuration 550, in which the path has the form of such a continuous curve and does not have a sharp turn or sharp angle, helps to maintain laminar airflow. Thus, the implementation of the airflow path 550, which provides a smooth change in the direction of the airflow, allows the device to be placed on the side of the opening and at the same time provide a low level of turbulence (if any), compared to the configuration in Fig. 1. Therefore, the e-cigarette 500 shown for example can include an airflow channel 550 with a radius of curvature of greater than 5 mm, greater than 10 mm, or preferably greater than 15 mm, to reduce (or eliminate) turbulence (compared to the configuration in Fig. 1), and thus help to reduce the size of particles in the aerosol delivered by the device.

In some embodiments, the continuous curve of the airflow channel 550 may extend only partially between the air inlet opening 548 and the separation boundary 26. For example, the airflow channel 550 may include a smoothly curved portion near the air inlet opening 548 followed by a linear portion near the separation boundary 26 (or conversely, the airflow channel 550 may include a smoothly curved portion near the separation boundary 26 that follows a linear portion near the air inlet opening 548). More broadly, the airflow channel 550 may include more than one continuous curve and/or more than one linear portion.

A further possibility is that a smooth curve (or many such curves) can be approximated by a sequence of short linear sections, with the change in orientation between two consecutive linear sections being small, for example in the range of 1-5 degrees, to limit or eliminate the introduction of turbulence.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fourth electronic aerosol delivery device 600. The components of the e-cigarette 600 of Fig. 6 are generally the same or similar to those described with respect to Fig. 1 (and are designated by the same reference numerals), and therefore such components will not be discussed again. Unlike the e-cigarettes shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, which have fixed airflow channel configurations, the e-cigarette 600 of Fig. 6 includes an airflow path 650 that can be modified to vary the level of turbulence in the air inhaled through the device. In other words, the e-cigarette 600 of Fig. 6 includes an airflow path control means to control the amount of turbulence in the airflow path, and consequently, to vary the particle size distribution in the aerosol produced by the e-cigarette 600.

The airflow channel 650 of the e-cigarette 600 comprises two sections, a first movable channel section 610 and a second fixed section 610. These two sections are connected by a respective coupling device or connector 615. Therefore, the first movable airflow channel section 610 extends from the air inlet opening 648 to the coupling device 615, while the second airflow channel section 611 extends from the coupling device 615 to the separation boundary 26. The movable airflow channel section 610 is essentially capable of rotating about the coupling device 615 to change the position of the air inlet opening 648. In particular, the position of the air inlet opening 648 can be rotated, as indicated by the arrows, between position A and position A". In position A", the e-cigarette 600 approximately replicates the side-port configuration shown in FIG. 1, while in position A the e-cigarette 600 approximately replicates the straight linear flow configuration (with a port at the bottom) shown in FIG. 2.

The e-cigarette 600 includes a switch or button 625 for the user to rotate the movable section 610 between positions A and A". The switch 625 may be provided with a suitable mechanical coupling device (not shown) to effect this rotation of the movable section 610. Another possibility is that the rotation of the section 610 is effected using electricity from the battery 46 (again under the control of the switch or button 625). Other activation mechanisms may be implemented including direct movement of the movable section 610 by the user, in which case the button/switch 625 may be omitted.

Although the e-cigarette 600 is described above as having two operating positions for the movable section 610 corresponding to A and A' (such that the position shown in FIG. 6 is a transition between these two operating positions), other embodiments may have one or more additional operating positions between A and A". In some embodiments, smooth adjustment may be permitted, i.e., the movable section 610 may be installed in any desired intermediate position between A and A". It should be understood that the portion 621 of the housing 32 of the control section in which the air inlet opening 648 is formed will be configured to provide a desired range of positions for the air inlet opening 648.

By moving the position of the air inlet 648 from position A to position A" (through any supported intermediate positions), the airflow can be provided with an increasing level of turbulence - which, as described above, generally results in the aerosol containing larger particles. This provides users with control over a parameter (particle size) that has a direct physical impact on their experience using the e-cigarette 600. In particular, different particle sizes (large or small) may be preferred by different users, either for different cartridges, different e-cigarette liquids, or simply for different user circumstances. Using the button 625 to control the position of the air inlet 648 by moving the turbulence adjustment section 610 provides users with the ability to control the particle size of the aerosol according to their specific preferences and circumstances.

For example, in a first orientation, designated position A, the movable channel section 610 is coaxial with the remainder of the airflow channel 650, in particular the fixed section 611, and thus turbulence is minimized. In a second orientation, designated position A", the movable channel section 610 is now perpendicular to the remainder of the airflow channel 650, and thus turbulence is introduced (or increased). It is worth noting that this mechanism allows the level of turbulence to be changed without changing or with little change in the overall flow velocity.

In particular, the size of the air inlet opening 648 and, consequently, the amount of air inhaled during a puff is essentially maintained regardless of the orientation of the movable channel section 610, however, the particle size distribution for a puff depends on (and is controlled by) the location of the movable channel section 610.

As described above, the orientation of the movable channel section 610 can be selected by the user by interacting with the device via a mechanical switch 625 or a similar device such as a wheel or lever, so that the user can tailor the particle size to their personal preferences. In some implementations, the movable section 610 can be actuated using a user input button 34 and/or a visual indicator 44 (in addition to or in lieu of using the switch 625). Changes in orientation can be made very quickly, such as during or between puffs (activations of the heater 68), allowing the user to quickly adjust the particle size to the desired setting. Another possibility is that under certain circumstances, at least the orientation of the movable channel section 610 is automatically performed by the control circuit 38, such as upon detection that a particular cartridge 24 containing a particular e-cigarette liquid has been connected to the control unit 22.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fifth electronic aerosol delivery device 700. The components of the e-cigarette 700 of Fig. 7 are generally the same or similar to those described with respect to Fig. 1 (and are designated by the same reference numerals), and therefore such components will not be discussed again. More specifically, the e-cigarette 700 of Fig. 7 has a configuration that is very similar to the e-cigarette 200 of Fig. 2, however, it additionally includes, like the e-cigarette 600 of Fig. b, a means for controlling the particle size distribution in the aerosol produced by the e-cigarette 700.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 7, the e-cigarette 700 includes a fixed airflow path 750 that extends to the air inlet port 748, using a straight linear flow configuration similar to that of the e-cigarette 200 shown in Fig. 2. However, the e-cigarette 700 further includes a mechanism 715 (shown schematically in Fig. 7) for changing the configuration of the airflow path 750 so as to change the relative proportion of laminar and turbulent airflows in the airflow path 750, thereby providing some control over the resulting particle size distribution in the aerosol produced by the e-cigarette 700.

Mechanism 715 may be operated by a user using a button or switch 725 similar to the use of button 625 in e-cigarette 600 to move airflow channel section 610. Similarly, operation of mechanism 715 may be accomplished using user input button 34 and/or visual indicator 44 (in addition to or in lieu of use of switch 725) or at least partially automatically using control circuitry 38.

One embodiment of mechanism 715 is a shaped aperture or orifice that can be varied, for example, from a simple circular orifice shape to a star-shaped (or any other more complex) orifice shape. A circular shape introduces relatively little turbulence and therefore maintains a greater proportion of laminar flow, whereas a more complex (featured) star-shaped orifice tends to introduce more turbulence by creating more localized pressure fluctuations and thus results in a lower proportion of laminar flow. Switching between the different orifice shapes can be actuated, for example, by using a button or switch 725.

In other embodiments, a wall element, such as a flow deflector, fin, or other obstruction (or multiple such objects), may be introduced into or removed from the airflow path 750. The introduction of such an element may also result in more localized pressure fluctuations that contribute to the formation of turbulence. Accordingly, the level of turbulence (and, consequently, the resulting particle size) may be controlled by adjusting the degree to which such obstructions are introduced into or removed from the airflow path 750 (e.g., by means of a button or switch 725). A similar effect may be achieved, for example, by forming or smoothing a surface texture or other topology on the interior walls of the airflow path 750.

Another potential implementation of mechanism 715 includes a mesh, grille, or other similar structure that can be moved into the airflow path 750 to increase the turbulence of the airflow. Typically, the mesh is made of thin wire or similar material, such that the mesh disrupts the airflow and introduces turbulence into it, but does not reduce the flow velocity. In some implementations, mesh 715 may be permanently located in the airflow path 750, but the configuration of some other property(ies) of the mesh may be varied, such as the size of the individual holes in the mesh to vary the amount of turbulence created in the airflow. Another example of mechanism 715 is an airflow divider that can be placed in the airflow path 750 to divide the airflow channel into two or more subchannels. | Splitting the air flow into multiple air channels and then recombining the air flow into a single channel can lead to turbulence in the air flow. By varying the proportion of air in each component, the level of turbulence can be controlled.

In some implementations, mechanism 715 may not only affect the relative proportion of laminar and turbulent flow, but also the rate of airflow through the e-cigarette for a given pressure drop or a given inhalation force - essentially increasing the resistance to inhalation (RNI).

For example, introducing ribs or other obstacles into the airflow generally acts as additional resistance.

CTO for the airflow, in addition to increasing the amount of turbulence. However, it would be desirable to allow the user to control the amount of turbulence (and, consequently, the particle size), but at the same time allow for small changes or leave the CTO (and, consequently, the overall flow rate) unchanged. One way to achieve this for an e-cigarette is to introduce a restrictor somewhere along the entire airflow path that would perform the primary 60 restriction of the airflow through the e-cigarette. In such a configuration, any changes in CTO caused by different settings of the mechanism 715 will have a relatively small effect on the overall CTO experienced by the user. Another approach is to arrange for different settings of the mechanism 715 to vary the amount of turbulence, but not the overall resistance to airflow. For example, for the implementation discussed above using a circular hole to reduce turbulence and a star-shaped hole to increase turbulence, the dimensions of the circular hole and the star-shaped hole can be selected to provide the same airflow resistance (contribution to the CTO) for both holes.

Although mechanism 715 is shown in FIG. 7 as being implemented in the middle of airflow channel 750, it may instead be implemented at air inlet opening 748 or at separation boundary 26, or at any suitable location between air inlet opening 748 and separation boundary 26. In some embodiments, mechanism 715 may include multiple components at various locations along airflow path 750. Alternatively, mechanism 715 may extend along a significant portion (e.g., most or all) of airflow channel 750 between air inlet opening 748 and separation boundary 26. Furthermore, while airflow path 750 shown in FIG. 7 is substantially linear (a straight line), other embodiments may have a curved airflow path, such as that shown in FIG. 5 for e-cigarette 500.

As described above, the proposed approach provides an electronic aerosol delivery system or device comprising: an air path between an air inlet and an air outlet; and an evaporator for generating vapor in the air path. The air path between the air inlet and the evaporator is configured to maintain laminar air flow.

It has been found that such laminar airflow can result in the formation of small aerosol particles exiting the electronic aerosol delivery system, which in turn can result in a better user experience. It is believed (without limitation) that laminar airflow can produce small particle sizes by limiting particle coalescence and/or limiting vapor deposition onto the particles. Although these physical effects generally occur downstream of the vaporizer, it is difficult to stabilize an already turbulent airflow in an electronic aerosol delivery system. The approach described herein attempts to prevent turbulence from forming relative to the vaporizer, which then helps prevent or reduce turbulence in the vaporizer region (and downstream of it).

An ideal device would have laminar (non-turbulent) airflow along the entire airflow path in the device, from the air inlet to the air outlet.

However, in practice it may be difficult to achieve a completely laminar airflow in the device, rather the air path between the air inlet and the evaporator may be designed to maintain a substantially (substantially) laminar airflow, for example comprising at least 60%, 75%, 85%, 90% or 95% laminar airflow through the electronic aerosol delivery system.

There are various ways in which the air path can be made, at least between the air inlet and the evaporator, with the possibility of ensuring that a (substantially) laminar air flow is maintained. For example, the air path can comprise a linear (straight) channel between the air inlet and the evaporator; the absence of sharp bends or corners promotes laminar flow. In some cases, the air path between the air inlet and the evaporator can comprise one or more curved portions; each of the one or more curved portions has a radius of curvature greater than 5 mm and preferably greater than 15 mm. Again, providing smooth bends rather than sharp bends or corners promotes laminar flow (and also allows for greater flexibility in the overall geometry of the device compared to using a straight air flow). Laminar flow through the air path between the air inlet and the evaporator can be further promoted by ensuring that the air path is substantially free of (i) obstructions, such as protrusions, screens, narrow openings, etc., and/or (ii) the topology of the air path walls, such as surface texturing or other features, that could introduce turbulence into the air flow along the air path. It should be noted that a similar approach can be applied to the portion of the air path downstream of the evaporator to reduce or prevent turbulence in that downstream portion.

The proposed approach also provides an electronic aerosol delivery system (e.g., as described above) that includes a means for controlling turbulence in the air path. In some embodiments, the means provides at least a first and a second setting, wherein the first setting provides an air flow with a greater proportion of laminar flow to turbulence than the second setting. As noted above, the first setting therefore provides an aerosol having a smaller particle size than the second setting. For example, the first setting may provide for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size (e.g., based on diameter) that is at least 10 95, preferably at least 20 95, smaller than the median particle size of the aerosol formed with the second setting, and/or the first setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size of less than 1 micron and the second setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size of greater than 1 micron. (It should be noted that these ratios/sizes are provided for illustrative purposes only, as they are influenced by additional factors, such as the characteristics of the vaporizer).

It should be noted that while some devices may have only two settings for the device, other devices may have more settings; in addition, some devices may support a continuous range of adjustment between upper and lower limits. In general, the device may be controlled by the user, controlling the turbulence by selecting the appropriate setting, for example, by operating a button or slider and/or touching a touch input device. In this way, the user may select a setting that provides a satisfactory user experience. In other cases, control of the device may alternatively (or additionally) be automatic. For example, the device may detect that a particular cartridge or cartomizer is inserted and adjust the device to provide the most appropriate level of turbulence for that cartridge.

There are various ways to implement the means. For example, in some cases, the means may maintain the movement of the air flow path, such as, for example, to create or eliminate a linear channel between the air inlet and the evaporator. Other ways to change the level of turbulence may include: using a movable (removable) air flow divider to divide a portion of the air path into two or more channels; an adjustable opening (or openings) along the path; and/or one or more structures that can be inserted into or changed in the air path. It is worth noting that many different approaches can be used in the means to change the level of turbulence.

In some embodiments, the device is configured to maintain a substantially constant flow of air through the airway while the device provides varying levels of turbulence.

For example, the device may use a smooth (round) orifice to reduce turbulence, or a larger, angled orifice, such as a star, to increase turbulence. The overall size of each orifice can then be configured so that differently shaped orifices provide the same drag resistance (and thus the same overall airflow). This allows the user to adjust the size of the aerosol particles without changing other device parameters, such as drag resistance, which makes the device easier for the user to control.

In order to overcome various problems and to promote progress in the art, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced are shown in this specification by way of illustration. The advantages and features of the present invention are intended to be representative of embodiments only and are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. They are presented only to facilitate understanding and to illustrate the spirit of the claimed invention(s). It is to be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, constructions, and/or other aspects of the present invention are not to be construed as limitations on the invention as defined by the claims or as limitations on equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be employed and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, details, steps, means, etc. in addition to those specifically described herein, and thus it should be understood that features in dependent claims may be combined with features in independent claims in combinations in addition to those expressly set forth in the claims.

This invention may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (1)

FORMULA OF THE INVENTION 1. An electronic aerosol delivery system comprising: an air path between an air inlet and an air outlet; and an evaporator for generating vapor in the air path; wherein the air path between the air inlet and the evaporator is configured to maintain laminar air flow and includes one or more curved portions, wherein each of said one or more curved portions has a radius of curvature greater than 5 mm. 2. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the air path comprises a linear channel between the air inlet and the evaporator. 3. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more curved portions of the air path between the air inlet and the evaporator has a radius of curvature greater than 15 mm. 4. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the air path between the evaporator and the air outlet is configured to maintain a laminar air flow. 5. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising means for controlling turbulence in the air path. 6. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 5, wherein said means has at least a first and a second setting, the first setting providing a greater proportion of laminar flow relative to turbulence than the second setting. 7. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the first setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a smaller particle size than the second setting. 8. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 7, wherein the first setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size that is at least 1095 smaller than the median particle size of the aerosol formed with the second setting. 9. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 7, wherein the first setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size that is at least 20 96 smaller than the median particle size of the aerosol formed with the second setting. 10. The electronic aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 7-9, wherein the first setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size of less than 1 micron and the second setting provides for the formation of an aerosol having a median particle size of greater than 1 micron. 11. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 5-10, characterized in that said means supports the movement of the air flow path. 12. The electronic aerosol delivery system of claim 11, wherein the air flow path is configured to form or eliminate a linear channel between the air inlet and the evaporator. 13. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 5-10, characterized in that said means comprises an air flow divider for dividing a portion of the air path into two or more channels. 14. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 5-10, characterized in that said means comprises an opening, the shape of which is capable of changing. 15. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 5-10, characterized in that said means comprises at least one structure capable of being introduced into or modified within the airway. 16. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 5-15, characterized in that the electronic aerosol delivery system is configured to maintain a constant flow of air through the airway when said means provides different levels of turbulence. 17. An electronic aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 5-16, characterized in that said means is user-configurable for turbulence control. with g ke zv! 62 5-0 To I e 1 E 201 26-7 ov AK 70 K. ; 44 of 22 Fig. 1 24 g ab ba ! what is it 8 ; | no So ; BE 73 -71 I 44 . For and KU fig. 2 : still t : she BE v. i i ! OV VK, pt Ko NI toi s ih 7 : ro i B: SHE : BT ki i ZE v v NN : she Ne i Et i BO PO Ne g g : o OM vt y she she shi she i i ; M : o EN x ne NI : : z : oh IT I plt pla ilyu 125.0 100.00 100006 Dischetr particles imKMO) Fig. : ! she Oh out And as : and Battle ov I and ny shi she shi and nn in pn shi Z : NN well in vo royai - i ry BE : sht she On and ii MMK YOU p KV goals : g - II mn yah she mini nin Not oh Your ie GOD oyu 1 io KO noyu Didmetr particles and meme Fig. 4 - ZO 24 g with 5 6 va "TI -68 in AK with I) ZE 44 4, 4. a Fig. 5 OO in TT 26 B2 V. xx 1 . KI don - o ACT Y 65 vi DI chn 6254 i 7 32 . and -eiVKZ ZV I"» 22 horn. 6 00 26 62 748 M x t 5000-70 I L Es a t y Bo za y Fig. 7