Electronic smoking article and associated method

Abstract

Smoking articles, and methods for forming such smoking articles, such as an electronic smoking article, are provided. An exemplary smoking article comprises a control body portion having a control body engagement end, and having a first control component therein. A cartridge body portion includes a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further includes a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component. At least the consumable arrangement is configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A smoking article, comprising:
 a reservoir containing an aerosol precursor composition;   a resistive heating element arranged to aerosolize the aerosol precursor composition and form an aerosol;   a component associated with the resistive heating element, the component being arranged to output a value indicating an amount of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the reservoir; and   a control component operatively connected with the resistive heating element and the component, the control component being arranged to receive the value from the component indicating the amount of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the reservoir, and
 control the resistive heating element based on the value from the component to allow or disallow heating of the resistive heating element, 
   wherein the control component is configured to disallow heating of the resistive heating element if the value output from the component is less than a threshold value, the threshold value indicating that the reservoir is substantially depleted of the aerosol precursor composition.   
     
     
         22 . The smoking article of  claim 21 , wherein the control component is configured to evaluate a resistance through the resistive heating element and calculate a resistance change of the resistive heating element. 
     
     
         23 . The smoking article of  claim 22 , wherein the control component is configured to adjust a flow of current to the resistive heating element in response to a resistance change of the resistive heating element. 
     
     
         24 . The smoking article of  claim 23 , wherein the control component is adapted to output a signal disallowing for the flow of current to the resistive heating element if the value output from the component is less than the threshold value. 
     
     
         25 . The smoking article according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a control body arranged to house the control component; and   a cartridge body arranged to house the reservoir, the resistive heating element, and the component associated with the resistive heating element, and   wherein the cartridge body is configured to removably engage the control body.   
     
     
         26 . The smoking article according to  claim 25 , wherein the control body comprises a control body engagement end and the cartridge body comprises a cartridge body engagement end, and wherein the control body engagement end is configured to removably engage the cartridge body engagement end so that, responsive to engagement of the control body with the cartridge body, the control component is configured to authenticate the cartridge body. 
     
     
         27 . The smoking article according to  claim 26 , further comprising one or more air intakes positioned on the control body, such that air drawn through the one or more air intakes is directed along a central axis of the cartridge body in response to suction on a mouthpiece of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         28 . The smoking article according to  claim 27 , further comprising a sensor arranged along the flow path such that the air drawn through the one or more air intakes contacts the sensor. 
     
     
         29 . The smoking article according to  claim 21 , further comprising an indicator arranged to indicate that there is under a threshold amount of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the reservoir. 
     
     
         30 . The smoking article according to  claim 21 , further comprising a current regulating circuit including a current regulating component. 
     
     
         31 . The smoking article according to  claim 21 , wherein the control component comprises a microcontroller. 
     
     
         32 . The smoking article according to  claim 25 , further comprising a power source housed in the control body. 
     
     
         33 . The smoking article according to  claim 32 , further comprising an indicator configured to output a status of the power source. 
     
     
         34 . The smoking article according to  claim 33 , wherein the indicator comprises an indicator light, such that the indicator is configured to output the status of the power source by illumination of the indicator light. 
     
     
         35 . The smoking article according to  claim 33 , wherein the indicator is arranged toward an end of the control body. 
     
     
         36 . The smoking article according to  claim 25 , wherein the control body has at least one planar side. 
     
     
         37 . The smoking article according to  claim 36 , wherein the control body has first and second pairs of substantially planar sides. 
     
     
         38 . A kit comprising packaging containing at least:
 a control body and a cartridge body according to  claim 25 ; and   a charging component configured to engage the control body.