# US 11,445,576 B2 · Cartridge with a heater assembly for an aerosol-generating system

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- Number: US 11,445,576 B2
- Document ID: US11445576B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/689,431
- Filed: 2022-03-08
- Published: 2022-06-16
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-02-10
- Assignees: Philip Morris Products S.A.
- Applicants: Philip Morris Products S.A.
- Inventors: Ihar Zinovik; Oleg Mironov; Keethan Dasnavis Fernando
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445576B2

## CPC

- H05B 3/347: {woven fabrics}
- H05B 3/42: non-flexible
- A24F 40/42: Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/46: Shape or structure of electric heating means
- A61M 11/003: {by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters}
- A61M 11/042: {electrical}
- A61M 15/0021: {Mouthpieces therefor}
- A61M 15/0028: {using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up}
- A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
- B32B 3/08: characterised by added members at particular parts {(layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18)}
- B32B 3/266: {characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12}
- B32B 5/024: {Woven fabric}
- B32B 7/06: permitting easy separation
- B32B 7/12: using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
- B32B 27/06: as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)}
- B32B 27/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 27/12: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
- B32B 27/281: {comprising polyimides}
- G05D 23/2401: {using a heating element as a sensing element}
- H05B 3/145: {Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite}
- H05B 3/34: flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/70: Manufacture
- A61M 2016/0021: {with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor}
- A61M 2016/0024: {with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch}
- A61M 2202/0468: non-physiological
- A61M 2205/0211: Ceramics
- A61M 2205/3368: Temperature
- A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
- A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- A61M 2206/14: Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
- B32B 2250/02: 2 layers
- B32B 2250/24: All layers being polymeric
- B32B 2262/106: Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
- B32B 2307/202: Conductive
- B32B 2307/206: Insulating
- B32B 2307/726: Permeability to liquids, absorption
- B32B 2307/7265: Non-permeable
- B32B 2307/732: Dimensional properties
- B32B 2307/748: Releasability
- B32B 2457/00: Electrical equipment
- H05B 2203/015: Heater wherein the heating element is interwoven with the textile
- H05B 2203/021: Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
- H05B 2203/022: Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- 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)}
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

An aerosol-generating system is provided, including: an aerosol-generating device including a power source; and a cartridge removably coupled to the aerosol-generating device, the cartridge including: a liquid storage portion including a housing having an open end and containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a heater assembly at the open end of the housing and including a planar electrical heating element to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, and a capillary material in contact with the planar electrical heating element and being configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the planar electrical heating element, the liquid storage portion being at a first side of the heater assembly and an airflow channel being at a second side of the heater assembly, and the power source of the aerosol-generating device is to supply power to the heater assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
an aerosol-generating device comprising a power source; and
a cartridge removably coupled to the aerosol-generating device, the cartridge comprising:
a liquid storage portion comprising a housing having an open end and containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate,
a heater assembly disposed at the open end of the housing and comprising a planar electrical heating element configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, and
a capillary material disposed in contact with the planar electrical heating element and being configured to convey the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the planar electrical heating element,
wherein the liquid storage portion is disposed at a first side of the heater assembly and an airflow channel is disposed at a second side of the heater assembly, and
wherein the power source of the aerosol-generating device is configured to supply power to the heater assembly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the planar electrical heating element comprises a planar substantially flat filament arrangement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 2, wherein the planar substantially flat filament arrangement extends in two directions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 2, wherein the planar substantially flat filament arrangement is one filament.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 2, wherein an electrical resistance of an electrically conductive filament of the planar substantially flat filament arrangement is between 0.3 Ohms and 4 Ohms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 2, wherein an electrical resistance of an electrically conductive filament of the planar substantially flat filament arrangement is between 0.5 Ohms and 3 Ohms.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 2, wherein an electrical resistance of an electrically conductive filament of the planar substantially flat filament arrangement is about 1 Ohm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the heater assembly further comprises a support having an aperture formed therein.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 8, wherein the heater assembly further comprises a pair of electrical contacts fixed to the support.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 9, wherein an electrical resistance of the planar electrical heating element is at least an order of magnitude greater than an electrical resistance of the electrical contacts connecting the planar electrical heating element to the power source.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 9, wherein an electrical resistance of the planar electrical heating element is at least two orders of magnitude greater than an electrical resistance of the electrical contacts connecting the planar electrical heating element to the power source.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 9, wherein the planar electrical heating element comprises at least one filament disposed between the pair of electrical contacts and respectively connected to ends of the at least one filament.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 12, wherein the pair of electrical contacts are respectively bonded to the ends of the at least one filament.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the heater assembly is configured to operate by resistive heating.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1,
further comprising electric circuitry connected to the heater assembly and to the power source,
wherein the electric circuitry is configured to
monitor an electrical resistance of the heater assembly or of the planar electrical heating element, and
control a supply of power from the power source to the heater assembly dependent on the electrical resistance of the heater assembly or of the planar electrical heating element.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of air inlets and an air outlet.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1,
wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a main body, and
wherein the main body comprises a cavity configured to receive the cartridge.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 17,
wherein the cartridge further comprises first electrical connectors and the main body further comprises second electrical connectors, and
wherein the second electrical connectors are disposed within the cavity so as to make electrical contact with the first electrical connectors when the cartridge is disposed in the cavity.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 17, wherein the cavity and the cartridge are shaped to ensure an electrical connection between the aerosol-generating device and the cartridge.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1 wherein the heater assembly has a width that is smaller than a width of the open end of the housing.