# US 11,027,911 B2 · Aerosol-generating system

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- Number: US 11,027,911 B2
- Document ID: US11027911B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/257,892
- Filed: 2019-01-25
- Published: 2019-05-23
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-12
- Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC
- Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC
- Inventors: Michel Bessant
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027911B2

## CPC

- B65D 83/685: with at least one of the contents stored in a chamber associated with the dispensing head, e.g. for mixing during dispensing
- A61M 11/042: {electrical}
- A61M 15/00: Inhalators {(drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04)}
- A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
- B65D 83/384: the container body being an aerosol container located in an outer shell or in an external container
- B65D 83/752
- G01N 21/31: Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)}
- H05B 1/0244: {Heating of fluids (H05B1/0247 takes precedence)}
- A61M 2205/3313: used specific wavelengths
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- G01N 21/314: {with comparison of measurements at specific and non-specific wavelengths (dual wavelength spectrometry G01J3/427)}
- G01N 2015/0026: {in gas, e.g. fog}
- G01N 2015/03: {Electro-optical investigation of a plurality of particles, the analyser being characterised by the optical arrangement}
- H05B 1/0247: {For chemical processes}
- H05B 2203/021: Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- 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)}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A handheld aerosol-generating device may include an emitter configured to emit light, a sensor configured to receive light, and an aerosol chamber configured to hold an aerosol. The emitter may emit light into the aerosol chamber. The sensor may receive light from the aerosol chamber and measure at least one wavelength of the spectrum of the received light. Direct measurement of parameters, and/or the presence, of the aerosol in the aerosol chamber may be enabled, where the direct measurement of parameters of the aerosol in the aerosol chamber may enable optimal operation of an aerosol-generating system that may be the handheld aerosol-generating device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
an aerosol chamber configured to hold an aerosol;
an array of emitters arranged outside the aerosol chamber, a first emitter in the array of emitters configured to emit multiple wavelengths of light simultaneously into the aerosol chamber, the multiple wavelengths of light each having a different wavelength; and
an array of sensors arranged outside the aerosol chamber, the array of sensors configured to receive the multiple wavelengths of light from the aerosol chamber and to measure an electromagnetic spectrum of the multiple wavelengths of light received and a quantity of each of the multiple wavelengths of light to detect a plurality of different elements in the aerosol simultaneously.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters is configured to emit light having wavelengths between 200 nanometers and 30 micrometers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of sensors is configured to receive light having wavelengths between 200 nanometers and 30 micrometers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters include the first emitter and a second emitter, the first emitter configured to emit light having a first wavelength, the second emitter configured to emit light having a second wavelength, the first wavelength being different from the second wavelength.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 4, wherein the first wavelength is between 2.8 micrometers and 3.2 micrometers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 4, wherein the second wavelength is between 6.0 micrometers and 6.6 micrometers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 4, wherein the array of sensors includes a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor configured to receive the light having the first wavelength, the second sensor configured to receive the light having the second wavelength.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters and the array of sensors are configured to be isolated from the aerosol in the aerosol chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the aerosol chamber includes a housing that is at least partially transparent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 9, wherein the array of emitters and the array of sensors are separated from the aerosol by the housing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters, the array of sensors, or both the array of emitters and the array of sensors include a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), an opto-semiconductor, a compound semiconductor, a hybrid electronic device, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters and the array of sensors are arranged around the aerosol chamber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein at least one emitter of the array of emitters is opposite to a corresponding sensor of the array of sensors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein each emitter of the array of emitters is opposite to a corresponding sensor of the array of sensors.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters are arranged in a semicircular matrix of emitters, and the array of sensors are arranged in a semicircular matrix of sensors, the semicircular matrix of emitters being a continuous array of emitters and the semicircular matrix of sensors bring a continuous array of sensors.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 15, wherein the semicircular matrix of emitters includes rows of emitters, and the semicircular matrix of sensors includes rows of sensors.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 16, wherein each of the rows of emitters of the semicircular matrix of emitters is configured to emit light having different wavelengths.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 16, wherein each of the rows of sensors of the semicircular matrix of sensors is configured to receive light from a corresponding one of the rows of emitters of the semicircular matrix of emitters.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of emitters includes a multiple narrow-band emitter, and the array of sensors includes a multiple narrow-band sensor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of sensors is configured to detect a light-absorbing element in the aerosol in the aerosol chamber based on the light received.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of sensors is configured to detect an amount of a light-absorbing element in the aerosol in the aerosol chamber based on a measurement of the light received.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of sensors is disposed on a first half of a perimeter of the aerosol chamber opposite the array of emitters disposed on a second half of the perimeter of the aerosol chamber, the array of sensors being a continuous array of sensors and the array of emitters being a continuous array of emitters.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 1, wherein the array of sensors includes at least two sensors and the array of emitters includes at least two emitters.

### Claim 24 (depends on 15)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 15, wherein the semicircular matrix of emitters and the semicircular matrix of sensors are arranged such that a first end of the semicircular matrix of emitters is positioned adjacent a first end of the semicircular matrix of sensors and a second end of the semicircular matrix of emitters is positioned adjacent a second end of the semicircular matrix of sensors, the first end of the semicircular matrix of emitters and the first end of the semicircular matrix of sensors being separated by a diameter of the aerosol chamber and the second end of the semicircular matrix of emitters and the second end of the semicircular matrix of sensors being separated by the diameter of the aerosol chamber, such that an entire interior of the aerosol chamber is irradiated with the multiple wavelengths of light from the semicircular matrix of emitters.