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 . A smoking article comprising:
 a cartridge body that includes:
 a cartridge body wall; 
 a storage for an inhalable substance medium, the storage comprising a wall; 
 a heating member configured to heat the inhalable substance medium and thereby release an inhalable substance; 
 a space defined between an inner surface of the cartridge body wall and an outer surface of the storage wall, the space being arranged to receive the inhalable substance; and 
 an air flow path from an engaging end of the cartridge body to a mouth end of the cartridge body, the air flow path including the space; and 
   a control housing that includes:
 a control segment; and 
 a receiving chamber configured for insertion therein of the cartridge body. 
   
     
     
         2 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the inhalable substance medium comprises an inhalable substance and an aerosol-forming material. 
     
     
         3 . The smoking article of  claim 2 , wherein the inhalable substance is a tobacco-derived material. 
     
     
         4 . The smoking article of  claim 2 , wherein the aerosol-forming material is a polyhydric alcohol. 
     
     
         5 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the heating member is in a convoluted configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source arranged in the control segment of the control housing. 
     
     
         7 . The smoking article of  claim 6 , further comprising an electrical energy source extending into the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         8 . The smoking article of  claim 7 , wherein the electrical energy source is surrounded by a base. 
     
     
         9 . The smoking article of  claim 7 , wherein the electrical energy source is in electrical connection with the power source and is configured for delivery of electrical energy to the heating member when the cartridge body is positioned within the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         10 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge body slidably engages the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         11 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge body includes an indicator of the insertion depth of the cartridge body into the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         12 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , further comprising a puff-actuated sensor arranged in the control segment of the control housing. 
     
     
         13 . The smoking article of  claim 12 , further comprising a time-based current regulating component in the control housing that regulates flow of electrical current from the power source to the heating member so that the electrical current flows for up to a maximum period of time in response to the puff-actuated sensor sensing a draw on the mouth end of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         14 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more light emitting diodes arranged in the control housing. 
     
     
         15 . The smoking article of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are configured to indicate a puff on the smoking article. 
     
     
         16 . The smoking article of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are configured to indicate upon engagement of the cartridge body with the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         17 . The smoking article of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are configured to indicate that the cartridge body has been completely used. 
     
     
         18 . A smoking article comprising:
 a cartridge body that includes:
 a cartridge body wall; 
 an inhalable substance medium configured as a solid substrate comprising an inhalable substance; 
 a heating member in contact with a surface of the inhalable substance medium and configured to heat the inhalable substance medium and thereby release the inhalable substance; and 
   a control housing that includes:
 a control segment; 
 a receiving chamber configured for insertion therein of the cartridge body; and 
 a power source in the control segment. 
   
     
     
         19 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the inhalable substance medium is an inert substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the inhalable substance is absorbed or adsorbed in the solid substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the inhalable substance medium further comprises an aerosol-forming material. 
     
     
         22 . The smoking article of  claim 21 , wherein the aerosol-forming material is a polyhydric alcohol. 
     
     
         23 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the inhalable substance is a tobacco-derived material. 
     
     
         24 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the solid substrate is porous. 
     
     
         25 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the solid substrate has a thickness of less than 5 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the inhalable substance medium is indirectly attached to the wall of the cartridge body via a frame member. 
     
     
         27 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the inhalable substance medium is suspended within the cartridge body. 
     
     
         28 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , further comprising an air flow path passing through the cartridge body. 
     
     
         29 . The smoking article of  claim 28 , wherein the air flow path further passes through the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         30 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the heating member is in a convoluted configuration. 
     
     
         31 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the heating member is integral with the inhalable substance medium. 
     
     
         32 . The smoking article of  claim 31 , wherein the heating member and the inhalable substance medium are laminated together. 
     
     
         33 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the heating element is the form of a metal foil. 
     
     
         34 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , further comprising an electrical energy source extending into the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         35 . The smoking article of  claim 34 , wherein the electrical energy source is surrounded by a base. 
     
     
         36 . The smoking article of  claim 34 , wherein the electrical energy source is in electrical connection with the power source and is configured for delivery of electrical energy to the heating member when the cartridge body is positioned within the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         37 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the cartridge body slidably engages the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         38 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , wherein the cartridge body includes an indicator of the insertion depth of the cartridge body into the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         39 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , further comprising a puff-actuated sensor arranged in the control segment of the control housing. 
     
     
         40 . The smoking article of  claim 39 , further comprising a time-based current regulating component in the control housing that regulates flow of electrical current from the power source to the heating member so that the electrical current flows for up to a maximum period of time in response to the puff-actuated sensor sensing a draw on a mouth end of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         41 . The smoking article of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more light emitting diodes arranged in the control housing. 
     
     
         42 . The smoking article of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are configured to indicate a puff on the smoking article. 
     
     
         43 . The smoking article of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are configured to indicate upon engagement of the cartridge body with the receiving chamber of the control housing. 
     
     
         44 . The smoking article of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are configured to indicate that the cartridge body has been completely used.