# US 10,306,924 B2 · Atomizer for an aerosol delivery device formed from a continuously extending wire and related input, cartridge, and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,306,924 B2 - Document ID: US10306924B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/009,580 - Filed: 2016-01-28 - Published: 2016-05-26 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company - Inventors: John DePiano; David Smith; Patsy Coppola; Charles Jacob Novak, III; Steven Lee Alderman; James William McClellan; John William Wolber; Frank S. Silveira; Michael Laine; Paul A. Brinkley; Grady Lance Dooly - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10306924B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/46: Shape or structure of electric heating means - A24F 40/70: Manufacture - H05B 3/03: Electrodes - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - Y10T 29/49083: Heater type - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to atomizers for an aerosol delivery device such as a smoking article. The atomizer may include a liquid transport element and a wire continuously extending along a longitudinal length thereof. The wire may define end portions, contact portions, and a heating portion. The wire may be continuously wound about the liquid transport element such that each of the portions of the wire defines coils. A related input, cartridge, and method of forming atomizers also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An input for production of a plurality of atomizers, the input comprising: a liquid transport element; and a wire extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the liquid transport element and defining a plurality of heating elements, the heating elements respectively comprising a plurality of coils of the wire, the wire defining at each of the heating elements a plurality of contact portions and a heating portion positioned between the contact portions, a pitch of the wire being greater at the heating portion than the pitch of the wire at the contact portions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The input of claim 1, wherein the wire is continuously wound about the liquid transport element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The input of claim 2, wherein the wire further defines a plurality of end portions, wherein the pitch of the wire at the end portions is greater than the pitch of the wire at the heating portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The input of claim 3, wherein the pitch of the wire at the contact portions is substantially equal to a diameter of the wire. ### Claim 5 An atomizer for an aerosol delivery device, the atomizer comprising: a liquid transport element extending between a first liquid transport element end and a second liquid transport element end; and a wire extending along at least a portion of the liquid transport element between the first liquid transport element end and the second liquid transport element end and defining a heating element comprising a plurality of coils of the wire, the wire defining at the heating element a plurality of contact portions and a heating portion positioned between the contact portions, a pitch of the wire being greater at the heating portion than the pitch of the wire at the contact portions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The atomizer of claim 5, wherein the wire is continuously wound about the liquid transport element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The atomizer of claim 6, wherein the wire further defines a plurality of end portions, wherein the pitch of the wire at the end portions is greater than the pitch of the wire at the heating portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the pitch of the wire at the contact portions is substantially equal to a diameter of the wire. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The atomizer of claim 7, further comprising a first heater terminal and a second heater terminal, wherein the contact portions of the heating element respectively contact one of the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The atomizer of claim 9, wherein the end portions respectively contact one of the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal. ### Claim 11 A cartridge for an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising: a base defining a connector end configured to engage a control body; a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition, the reservoir defining a cavity extending from a first reservoir end to a second reservoir end, wherein the first reservoir end is positioned proximate the base; and an atomizer comprising: a liquid transport element extending between a first liquid transport element end and a second liquid transport element end; and a wire extending along at least a portion of the liquid transport element between the first liquid transport element end and the second liquid transport element end and defining a heating element comprising a plurality of coils of the wire, the wire defining at the heating element a plurality of contact portions and a heating portion positioned between the contact portions, a pitch of the wire being greater at the heating portion than the pitch of the wire at the contact portions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cartridge of claim 11, wherein the wire is continuously wound about the liquid transport element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the wire further defines a plurality of end portions, wherein the pitch of the wire at the end portions is greater than the pitch of the wire at the heating portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the pitch of the wire at the contact portions is substantially equal to a diameter of the wire. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the atomizer further comprises a first heater terminal and a second heater terminal, and wherein the contact portions of the heating element respectively contact one of the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cartridge of claim 15, wherein the end portions respectively contact one of the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal. ### Claim 17 A method of forming atomizers, the method comprising: providing a liquid transport element; providing a wire; and winding the wire about the liquid transport element such that the wire extends along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the liquid transport element and defines a plurality of heating elements, the heating elements respectively comprising a plurality of coils of the wire, the wire defining at each of the heating elements a plurality of contact portions and a heating portion positioned between the contact portions, a pitch of the wire being greater at the heating portion than the pitch of the wire at the contact portions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein winding the wire about the liquid transport element comprises continuously winding the wire about the liquid transport element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein winding the wire about the liquid transport element comprises winding the wire to define a plurality of end portions, wherein the pitch of the wire at the end portions is greater than the pitch of the wire at the heating portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the pitch of the wire at the contact portions is substantially equal to a diameter of the wire. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising cutting the liquid transport element and the wire at one of the end portions to separate one of the heating elements and a segment of the liquid transport element therefrom. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a first heater terminal and a second heater terminal; and respectively engaging the contact portions of the one of the heating elements with the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising bending the one of the heating elements and the segment of the liquid transport element about the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising respectively engaging the end portions with one of the first heater terminal and the second heater terminal.