# US 10,369,302 B2 · Atomizing unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,302 B2 - Document ID: US10369302B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/852,509 - Filed: 2017-12-22 - Published: 2018-05-03 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-26 - Assignees: Japan Tobacco Inc. - Applicants: Japan Tobacco Inc. - Inventors: Akihiko Suzuki; Manabu Takeuchi; Takuma Nakano; Manabu Yamada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369302B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts - A61M 11/042: {electrical} - A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes - B05B 7/16: incorporating means for heating {or cooling} the material to be sprayed {(spraying by means of explosions B05B7/0006)} - B05B 9/002: {incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed} - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - A61M 2016/0024: {with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch} - A61M 2205/123: with incorporated reservoirs - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract This atomization unit is provided with a liquid holding member that holds an aerosol source, a heating element that atomizes the aerosol source held by the liquid holding member, and a cover member that restricts the amount of the aerosol source supplied to the liquid holding member. The liquid holding member has a shape that extends along a prescribed direction. At least a portion of the inner side surface of the liquid holding member in an orthogonal direction which is orthogonal to the prescribed direction is in contact with or in close proximity to the heating element. At least a portion of the outer side surface of the liquid holding member in the orthogonal direction is covered by the cover member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An atomizing unit comprising: a liquid holding member configured to hold an aerosol source; a heating element configured to atomize the aerosol source held by the liquid holding member; and a cover member configured to restrict a supply amount of the aerosol source to the liquid holding member, wherein the liquid holding member has a shape extending along a predetermined direction, at least a part of an inner side surface of the liquid holding member in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction contacts or comes close to the heating element, and at least a part of an outer side surface of the liquid holding member in the orthogonal direction is covered by the cover member, and wherein the cover member brings the inner side surface of the liquid holding member into contact with or close to the heating element by pressing the outer side surface of the liquid holding member inwardly in the orthogonal direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The atomizing unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover member covers an outer side surface of the liquid holding member over the entire length of the outer side surface of the liquid holding member along the predetermined direction, in a range where an inner side surface of the liquid holding member and the heating element contact or come close to each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The atomizing unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover member covers an outer side surface of the liquid holding member over the entire circumference of the outer side surface of the liquid holding member in a circumferential direction around the predetermined direction as an axis, in a range where an inner side surface of the liquid holding member and the heating element contact or come close to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The atomizing unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover member uniformly covers the outer side surface of the liquid holding member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The atomizing unit according to claim 4, wherein the cover member covers the outer side surface of the liquid holding member without having an opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The atomizing unit according to claim 4, wherein the cover member has ten or more equally spaced openings. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The atomizing unit according to claim 4, wherein the cover member has a plurality of equally spaced openings, and a covering area that is an area of the outer side surface of the liquid holding member covered by the cover member is 60% or more of an area of the outer side surface of the liquid holding member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The atomizing unit according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the liquid holding member in a state of being covered by the cover member in the orthogonal direction is smaller than a thickness of the liquid holding member in a state not covered by the cover member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The atomizing unit according to claim 1, comprising: a reservoir for storing the aerosol source, wherein at least a part of the reservoir is disposed outside the cover member in the orthogonal direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The atomizing unit according to claim 1, wherein a thermal conductivity of the cover member is lower than a thermal conductivity of the aerosol source or the liquid holding member. ### Claim 11 An atomizing unit comprising: a liquid holding member configured to hold an aerosol source; a heating element configured to atomize the aerosol source held by the liquid holding member; a cover member configured to restrict a supply amount of the aerosol source to the liquid holding member; and a barrier member, which is located between the outer side surface of the heating element and the inner side surface of the liquid holding member in the orthogonal direction, and has an outer side surface at a position facing a part of the inner side surface of the liquid holding member, wherein the liquid holding member has a shape extending along a predetermined direction, at least a part of an inner side surface of the liquid holding member in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction contacts or comes close to the heating element, and at least a part of an outer side surface of the liquid holding member in the orthogonal direction is covered by the cover member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The atomizing unit according to claim 11, wherein an outer side surface of the barrier member is provided at a position facing a part of an inner side surface of the cover member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The atomizing unit according to claim 11, wherein the barrier member includes a first cylindrical member and a second cylindrical member disposed apart from the first cylindrical member in the predetermined direction, and at least a part of the inner side surface of the liquid holding member contacts or comes close to the heating element between the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The atomizing unit according to claim 13, wherein the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member are formed of a conductive member, the first cylindrical member forms a first contact by electrically contacting the heating element, and the second cylindrical member forms a second contact by electrically contacting the heating element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The atomizing unit according to claim 11, wherein the barrier member has a strength able to withstand a stress of the cover member pressing the outer side surface of the barrier member inwardly in the orthogonal direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The atomizing unit according to claim 11, wherein the barrier member is a tubular cylindrical member forming at least a part of an air flow path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The atomizing unit according to claim 16, wherein the barrier member has an aerosol intake to pass aerosol atomized by the heating element to the air flow path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The atomizing unit according to claim 17, wherein the barrier member includes a first tubular cylindrical member forming at least a part of the air flow path and a second tubular cylindrical member forming at least a part of the air flow path, the second cylindrical member is disposed apart from the first cylindrical member in the predetermined direction, and the aerosol intake is a space between the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member in the predetermined direction.