Aerosol delivery device including connector comprising extension and receptacle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may include a control body with a first connector portion and a cartridge with a second connector portion. The first connector portion and the second connector portion may be configured to releasably engage each other. One of the first connector portion and the second connector portion may include an extension and the other of the first connector portion and the second connector portion may include a receptacle configured to receive the extension. The extension may include contact sections positioned along a longitudinal length thereof. The contact sections may be electrically insulated from one another by at least one spacer and may be configured to form an electrical connection with the receptacle. A related assembly method is also provided.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for assembling an aerosol delivery device, the method comprising:
 forming a cartridge by inserting a reservoir and an atomizer into a cartridge outer body and engaging a second connector portion with the cartridge outer body, the reservoir being configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition and the atomizer being configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition received from the reservoir to produce an aerosol; and   mating the cartridge with a control body including a control body outer body having an electrical power source inserted therein and a first connector portion engaged therewith, the first connector portion and the second connector portion being configured to releasably engage each other, and one of the first connector portion and the second connector portion comprising an extension and the other of the first connector portion and the second connector portion comprising a receptacle configured to receive the extension, the extension comprising a plurality of contact sections positioned along a longitudinal length thereof, the contact sections being electrically insulated from one another by at least one spacer and being configured to form an electrical connection with the receptacle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein mating the cartridge with the control body comprises engaging a coupler with a flow tube engaged with the control body outer body, and
 engaging a base with the cartridge outer body.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein forming the control body further mating the cartridge with the control body comprises engaging an O-ring with the coupler, the O-ring being configured to engage an inner surface of the second connector portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein forming the control body further comprises inserting a flow sensor in the control body outer body, wherein the coupler defines a pressure port configured to be in fluid communication with the cartridge when the first connector portion engages the second connector portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising engaging a pressure tube with a flow sensor inserted in the control body outer body and with the coupler. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising engaging the extension with one of the coupler and the base and engaging the receptacle with the other of the coupler and the base. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein engaging the extension with one of the coupler and the base and engaging the receptacle with the other of the coupler and the base comprises centrally disposing the extension and the receptacle with respect to a respective one of the coupler and the base. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein engaging the extension with one of the coupler and the base comprises engaging a tip-ring-sleeve plug with one of the coupler and the base. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cartridge outer body includes an electronic control component inserted therein. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising electrically coupling a data contact section of the extension with one of a controller inserted in the control body outer body and the electronic control component. 
     
     
         21 . A method for assembling an aerosol delivery device, the method comprising:
 providing a control body including a control body outer body having an electrical power source inserted therein and a first connector portion engaged therewith;   providing a cartridge including a cartridge outer body having a reservoir and an atomizer inserted therein and a second connector portion engaged therewith, the reservoir being configured to contain an aerosol precursor composition and the atomizer being configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition received from the reservoir to produce an aerosol, the first connector portion and the second connector portion being configured to releasably engage each other; and   mating the control body to the cartridge via the first and second connector portions, one of the first connector portion and the second connector portion comprising an extension and the other of the first connector portion and the second connector portion comprising a receptacle configured to receive the extension, the extension comprising a plurality of contact sections positioned along a longitudinal length thereof, the contact sections being electrically insulated from one another by at least one spacer and being configured to form an electrical connection with the receptacle.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein mating the control body to the cartridge comprises engaging a coupler with a flow tube engaged with the control body outer body, and engaging a base with the cartridge outer body. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein mating the control body to the cartridge comprises engaging an O-ring with the coupler, the O-ring being configured to engage an inner surface of the second connector portion. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the coupler defines a pressure port configured to be in fluid communication with the cartridge when the first connector portion engages the second connector portion. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising engaging a pressure tube with a flow sensor inserted in the control body outer body and with the coupler. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising engaging the extension with one of the coupler and the base and engaging the receptacle with the other of the coupler and the base. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein engaging the extension with one of the coupler and the base and engaging the receptacle with the other of the coupler and the base comprises centrally disposing the extension and the receptacle with respect to a respective one of the coupler and the base. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein engaging the extension with one of the coupler and the base comprises engaging a tip-ring-sleeve plug with one of the coupler and the base. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the cartridge outer body includes an electronic control component inserted therein. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising electrically coupling a data contact section of the extension with one of a controller inserted within the control body outer body and the electronic control component.