Smoking articles and use thereof for yielding inhalation materials

Abstract

The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.

1 - 94 . (canceled) 
     
     
         95 . An article for formation of an inhalable substance, the article comprising:
 a housing that defines a control segment and a chamber configured for receiving at least a portion of a cartridge that includes therein an inhalable substance medium that is heatable to from an inhalable substance;   an electrical power source arranged in the control segment;   wherein the article is configured such that the electrical power source is replaceable.   
     
     
         96 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein the electrical power source comprises a battery. 
     
     
         97 . The article of  claim 96 , comprising a plurality of batteries. 
     
     
         98 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein a portion of the housing is openable for replacement of the electrical power source. 
     
     
         99 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein the electrical power source is rechargeable. 
     
     
         100 . The article of clam  99 , wherein a portion of the housing comprises charging contacts configured for recharging of the electrical power source. 
     
     
         101 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein the electrical power source comprises a thin film battery. 
     
     
         102 . The article of  claim 95 , further comprising a switching component that actuates flow of electrical current from the electrical energy source. 
     
     
         103 . The article of  claim 102 , wherein the switching component comprises a puff-actuated switch. 
     
     
         104 . The article of  claim 102 , wherein the switching component comprises a pushbutton. 
     
     
         105 . The article of  claim 95 , further comprising a flow regulating component that regulates a previously initiated flow of electrical current from the electrical energy source. 
     
     
         106 . The article of  claim 105 , wherein the flow regulating component is a time-based component. 
     
     
         107 . The article of  claim 105 , wherein the flow regulating component cycles the flow of electrical current off and on for a defined period of time. 
     
     
         108 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein the housing includes one or more indicators. 
     
     
         109 . The article of  claim 108 , wherein the one or more indicators includes one or more lights. 
     
     
         110 . The article of  claim 109 , wherein the one or more lights are configured to be lit upon engagement of a cartridge with the chamber. 
     
     
         111 . The article of  claim 109 , wherein the one or more lights are configured to change in color or intensity during use of the article. 
     
     
         112 . The article of  claim 108 , wherein the one or more indicators includes one or more tactile indicators. 
     
     
         113 . The article of  claim 108 , wherein the one or more indicators includes one or more sound indicators. 
     
     
         114 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein the article is disposable. 
     
     
         115 . The article of  claim 95 , further comprising a heater within the housing. 
     
     
         116 . The article of  claim 115 , wherein the heater is configured to provide heat in a range of about 1 Joules per second to about 10 Joules per second. 
     
     
         117 . The article of  claim 115 , wherein the heater comprises a heating coil and a heat spreading member. 
     
     
         118 . The article of  claim 95 , wherein the chamber of the housing comprises an open end through which the cartridge is insertable.